Rent vs buy in Las Vegas, NV
In Las Vegas, Nevada, the typical rent is $1,700 each month and the typical home costs $417,475.
Over 7 years, renting comes out $35k ahead
Today's mortgage rate, 20% down and Las Vegas's typical home value and rent are used here. The break-even year is 14.
Clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. The figures are estimates rather than quotes. The stamp shifts when you change a number.
- Renting is ahead by
- $35k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 14 when owning catches up
- The true cost of owning
- $3,453 /mo year 1, against $1,700 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp's rent and home value inputs are Las Vegas's typical figures. Your rent, price and years can flip the result.
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Enter your own rent, price and down payment. Your entries change the stamp.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Las Vegas?
Over 7 years, renting saves $35,019 after counting the money you get back when you sell. For the first 13 years, renting costs less. By year 14, owning catches up.
Renting Owning Net cost by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Las Vegas
Rent and mortgage payments don't tell the full story. At Las Vegas's typical price, every monthly cost in year 1 is shown.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,700 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,276 | $2,006 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $167 | 0.48% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $79 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $348 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,870 | $270 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $679 | At 8.3% a year, this is what the cash would earn |
| Buying costs, spread out | $174 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,453 | Subtract the equity part from cash out, then add the two amounts listed previously. |
Figures behind the Las Vegas result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $417,475
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,700 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Nevada, 1995 to 2025
- 4.4% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Las Vegas
- 0.48% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Las Vegas
- $79 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would flip the result in Las Vegas?
For each line, the 7-year Las Vegas verdict changes at that point, while all other factors stay the same.
When renting wins
- We use 4.4%, Nevada's rate over the long run, when home prices grow less than 5.4% a year.
- The mortgage rate remains above 5.75%.
- For a home like this, monthly rent is under $2,080 (the local typical rent is $1,700).
- Your move occurs before year 14.
When buying wins
- Annual home price growth is above 5.4%.
- You lock in a rate under 5.75% for your mortgage (today's is 7.24%).
- For the same home, you'd pay more than $2,080 each month to rent.
- Your stay lasts 14 years or more.
812 other cities compared with Las Vegas
| Measure | Las Vegas | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $417,475 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,700 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.5 (#311 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.9% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 1.2% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.48% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 43% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other Nevada cities
- Rent. In Henderson, NV, renting wins by $56k.
- Choose to rent in North Las Vegas, NV, where renting wins by $11k.
- Rent. In Reno, NV, renting wins by $74k.
- Rent. In Sparks, NV, renting wins by $46k.
- Rent. In Carson, NV, renting wins by $30k.