

Chicago vs Las Vegas
$133/mo more in Las Vegas
ChicagoLas VegasAbout 1,502 miles apart, a flight.
- Las Vegas leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,559/mo in Las Vegas. $2,426/mo in Chicago. +$1,596 a year.
Chicago
$2,426
left each month
Las Vegas
$2,559
+$133 vs Chicago
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 1,194 households moved Chicago → Las Vegas (avg AGI $93,512). 803 went the other way. The whole move →
+$133 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Chicago | Las Vegas | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $7,348 | −$860 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,480 | −$650 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,868 | −$210 |
| Rent | $1,782 | $1,267 | −$515 |
| Getting around | $392 | $592 | +$200 |
| Groceries | $408 | $400 | −$8 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $450 | −$9 |
| Utilities | $255 | $250 | −$5 |
| Everything else | $357 | $350 | −$7 |
| Left over | $2,426 | $2,559 | +$133 |
Salary to match Chicago
$86,000
Gross pay in Las Vegas that leaves the same amount as $98,500 in Chicago.
Tax difference
+$4,738
A year, in state and local income tax. Nevada has no wage income tax.
More about Las Vegas
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Las Vegas, NV in full
No income tax, low property tax, and an economy tied to tourism.
The other way
Start in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas → Chicago →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Las Vegas than Chicago?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Las Vegas leaves about $133 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,267 in Las Vegas.
Does Las Vegas have state income tax?
Las Vegas is in Nevada, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Chicago to Las Vegas?
The paycheck is taxed in Nevada. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Chicago and Las Vegas changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.