The ‘Sin City’ or the ‘Entertainment Capital of The World’ as Vegas is popularly known, has a lot more than gambling and resorts to offer you. Vegas is the hot spot for entertainment, nightlife, and fine dining, and has a robust economy, job market, and real estate market. While the city center is urbanized and gala, the neighborhoods of the city are pleasant, warm, and family-friendly.
When you think of moving from San Diego to Las Vegas, there are ample things you need to consider before you make any hasty decisions. To give you a better look at what moving from San Diego to Las Vegas would be like, we have an elaborate guide listing everything that will be different, challenging, exciting, and lively.
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The weather in both the cities is very distinct and the switch can be a bit challenging to get used to. While San Diego has Mediterranean weather, Las Vegas has dry and hot weather. In Las Vegas, you will experience hot summers and mild winters. On the other hand, the weather in San Diego is pretty consistently warm throughout the year with very mild winters.
The summer average temperature in Las Vegas is anywhere between 80°F and 104°F. July and August are the hottest months in summer and it can get a bit intolerable during the time. The summers in San Diego are not as harsh, and the average temperatures reach a maximum of around 79°F. So, the summers in Las Vegas may seem a bit too much to handle in the beginning.
The winters in both Las Vegas and San Diego are mild. The average temperatures during winters in Las Vegasdrop to 39°F during the months of December and January. San Diego, too, sees similar lows with temperatures hovering around 45°F. Snow is unusual in Las Vegas and completely unheard of in San Diego.
Living in Las Vegas, you will have to get accustomed to some natural disaster threats. Flash floods, droughts, and earthquakes are common occurrences in the city. You need to be aware of these threats and also keep an eye out for emergency alerts on the Handy app.
The cost of living is definitely one of the deciding factors that influence your decision of moving. It is very telling of whether settling in a new city is going to be easy on your pockets or not. The good news is that the cost of living in Las Vegas is much more affordable compared to San Diego. While both cities have a higher cost of living compared to the national average, the cost of living in Vegas is just 3% higher while that of San Diego is 44% higher. This is a pretty large difference and tips the scales in favor of Vegas.
If you are comparing the real estate market in Las Vegas and San Diego, you would be happy to know that houses in Las Vegas are more affordable. However, the real estate market in Las Vegas is on the higher end of the scale, and has also gotten competitive over the years. The median age of real estate in the city is 24 years old according to Bestplaces.net and you will find a great variety of houses in the city.
Buying a house in Las Vegas is comparatively a better bargain than buying a house in San Diego. Here is a table that shows you the median home values in both cities side by side. This data is compiled with the help of Zillow.
| Las Vegas | San Diego | |
| Median Home Value | $399,110 | $918,470 |
Just like the real estate market, the rental market in Las Vegas is on the steeper end. But if you compare it with the rental market in San Diego, it is definitely much more affordable. This will make a big difference in your expenses and overall cost of living.
The following table will give you an overview of what rent in Las Vegas and San Diego is going to be like, with data from Bestplaces.
| 1 Bedroom | 2 Bedroom | 3 Bedroom | |
| Las Vegas | $950 | $1,150 | $1,630 |
| San Diego | $1,488 | $1,910 | $2,650 |
When it comes to taxes, San Diego is more expensive compared to Las Vegas except when it comes to the sales tax. According to Reviewjournal.com, the state of Nevada ranks 9th on the lowest property taxes in the country at 0.60%, lower than most states and cities across the country. The property taxes in Las Vegas are 0.65%; still a low rate compared to the national average of 1.70% and 0.05% higher than the state.
Additionally, the state of Nevada has no income tax which is a policy carried on by all of its cities as well. You’re bound to save quite a bit of your money in this department when moving to Las Vegas.
When it comes to sales taxes, Las Vegas has a higher rate. The sales tax in Las Vegas is 8.75% which is higher than both the national average and the city of San Diego.
Your monthly expenses, including your utility bills and your grocery shopping, are some of the heaviest expenditures on your pocket. These include your utility bills and your groceries. Your healthcare expenses also add up to your cost of living, though not on a monthly basis. Let us have a look at the breakdown of these expenses in both cities.
Your monthly utility bill includes the water, electricity, garbage disposal, cooling, and heating expenses. In Las Vegas, your utility bill amounts to an average of $171 on a monthly basis. The same bill in San Diego is $142. This shows that the utilities in San Diego are lower than that of Las Vegas.
Your food and groceries in both cities cost more than the national average. In Las Vegas, the grocery prices are 4% higher than the national average. A loaf of bread here is $3.48 and a gallon of regular milk is $2.05.
Speaking of healthcare expenses, Las Vegas is 3% more expensive and San Diego is 8% more expensive than the national average. A one-time visit to the doctor’s office in Las Vegas costs about $114. Also, a one-time visit for your pet at the vet costs $52.
If you look at the overall expenses, you will notice that Las Vegas is an affordable city to live in, especially compared to San Diego. With a decent-paying job, living in Las Vegas will be an inexpensive and comfortable life.
The crime rate in a city should ideally be an important criterion that you look into before you move to a new city. If you look at the crime rates in Las Vegas and San Diego, Las Vegas has a higher crime rate compared to San Diego and the national average as well.
Living in Las Vegas, you have a 1 in 35 chance of being a victim of either a property or violent crime. While in San Diego, you have a 1 in 46 chance of being a victim of violent or property crime according to Neighborhoodscout.
The violent crime rate in Las Vegas is 5.34 which is higher than the national average of 4.0 and the average violent crime rate in San Diego is 3.88. Living here, you have a 1 in 146 chance of being a victim of a violent crime.
The property crime rate in Las Vegas is 22.87. This rate is a tad bit higher in Las Vegas compared to both the national average of 19 and San Diego’s average of 18.1. As a resident of the state, you have a 1 in 44 chance of being a victim of a property crime.
San Diego has a property and violent crime rate quite on par with the national average while that of Las Vegas is higher than both. Las Vegas is safer than 15% of the cities in the country while San Diego is safer than 23% of the same cities. So, when moving from San Diego to Las Vegas, you will surely have to take care of finding safe neighborhoods in the city. Some neighborhoods with the lowest crime rates and safe for you to live in Las Vegas are Kyle Canyon, Sandy Valley, Racel Street, and West Craig Road.
The economy of both Las Vegas and San Diego has been growing since the great depression. Las Vegas took a bit longer than San Diego to get back on its toes when it comes to economic stability. But that in no way has compromised on the job opportunities or development in the city. The GDP of San Diego in 2020 was $240,411.072 million and the GDP of Las Vegas was $119,386.931 million according to Fred.stlouisfed.
Tourism, hospitality, gaming, food and beverages, and convention are some of the major industries in Las Vegas that fuel its economy. These industries are also major contributors to the job market in the city.
As of December 2021, 6.0% is the unemployment rate in Las Vegas, and this has consistently gone lower in the past decade. The job opportunities in the city have also been increasing with the growing economy and developing industries in the city. The average annual income in the cities of Las Vegas and San Diego is $80,000, a common figure for both cities.
If you are looking for a job and want to move to Las Vegas, you need to know which industries pay well and which ones are hiring people. The top employers in Las Vegas are Station Casinos, Wynn Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International, Boyd Gaming Corp, The Valley Health System, McDonald’s Greater Las Vegas Operator Association, Southwest Medical Associates/UnitedHealthcare, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment, and Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Also Read: Job Relocation Guide
Clark County is the largest school district in Las Vegas and it is also the fifth-largest school district in the US. It offers the students of Las Vegas quality education at both higher and lower levels. Students of San Diego get their education under the San Diego Unified School District. This is the second-largest school district in the US.
When you closely compare the quality of education that the students of each of these cities get, you’ll see that the education system in San Diego is better than in Las Vegas. However, this doesn’t mean that schools and colleges in Las Vegas are bad or are not up to the mark. Clark County, as the largest school district, has some of the best and top-rated schools spread across Las Vegas.
Though the quality scores for Vegas schools are lower compared to San Diego, there are a few great schools in the city that you can enroll your child in. Additionally, Las Vegas also has some of the top-rated universities and colleges in the state.
Let us have a look at some of the top-rated schools in Las Vegas according to Greatschools.org
Las Vegas does everything in a grand way compared to any other city in the US, except for their transportation and traffic. The city of Las Vegas has buses, monorails, local taxis, and Uber and Lyft services running in the city. These are the most common methods of transportation within the city.
The Regional Transportation Commission of South Nevada aka RTC’s Bus system is the commonly used public transportation system in the city. These buses cover almost all routes around the city and run every 10 to 15 minutes. They give you easy access to and from the airport and also the greater Las Vegas Valley region.
Taxis and Uber/Lyft services are also very commonly used transportation services in the city. They pick you up from anywhere, including the airport, and drop you off at your desired destination anywhere around the city. You get easy access to these services and they come at an affordable price.
The monorail covers a limited, set route and does not cover all of the city. It runs every 4 to 5 minutes along Sahara Avenue and the MGM Grand route on all days. The traffic can get really annoying and congested at times. In such cases, you can also choose to walk short distances. According to Walkscore.com, Las Vegas is the 29th most walkable city in the country.
The best way to get around the city is by using a combination of the public transportation services like the buses, monorail, and taxis. Of course, you also have Uber and Lyft services. They run in the city throughout the day and you get easy access to these services from anywhere around the city.
Mount Charleston is one of the safest neighborhoods to live in Las Vegas. This neighborhood is in close proximity to the downtown area and is located in the beautiful mountains of Las Vegas. Along with the beautiful view, you also have a warm and welcoming community of people.
This neighborhood has ample restaurants, cafés, and a dynamic nightlife which attracts a lot of people from the younger generation. With something for everyone, you‘ll feel right at home living in this neighborhood of Las Vegas.
Population: 14,585
Median Home Value: $446,910
Annual Median Household Income: $69,722
Monthly Median Rent: $1,077
The Lakes is a popular neighborhood in the city that offers its residents a luxurious and sufficed lifestyle. According to Niche, this is also the top-rated neighborhood for young professionals. With ample job opportunities to explore here, the dense urban neighborhood is one of the best places to live in Las Vegas for all young guns.
Good schools, playing arenas, job opportunities, and a lively neighborhood have also attracted many young professionals with families to this area in Las Vegas.
Population: 3,770
Median Home Value: $496,110
Annual Median Household Income: $100,919
Monthly Median Rent: $1,527
Spring Valley is a big neighborhood in Las Vegas that is known for its amazing outdoors. Most people living in and around this neighborhood enjoy fishing and the nightlife here. The houses in this neighborhood are mainly family homes, most of which come with a pool in the backyard. It is a great neighborhood to live in as most people also host small get-togethers and enjoy pool parties with neighboring families on hot summer days. The top-rated schools in this neighborhood add to its charm and attraction.
Population: 207,126
Median Home Value: $262,010
Annual Median Household Income: $58,390
Monthly Median Rent: $1,195
Summerlin North is one of the largest neighborhoods in the city of Vegas, and is one of the more affluent and urbanized parts of the city. This is a rich neighborhood with an expensive real estate market. Buying a house or even renting a house here is going to be one of the biggest expenses. A large number of trailer parks, schools, pet parks, playgrounds, golf courses, restaurants, cafés, casinos, and bars make it one of the most lively neighborhoods in the city.
Population: 125,010
Median Home Value: $310,167
Annual Median Household Income: $74,689
Monthly Median Rent: $1,483
San Diego and Las Vegas are cities in neighboring states. This makes moving easier and a little more convenient for all since you can simply drive to Las Vegas or catch a quick flight there. Plus, the moving company shouldn’t take too long in transit either. The estimated cost of moving from San Diego to Las Vegas is anywhere around $2,700 to $7,800. This is an estimated price that can change depending on the size of your move and on what kind of services you choose to get from the moving company.
See Also: What Salary Do You Need to Live in Las Vegas?
Summing Up
Hopeful now that you’ve gone through our guide on moving from San Diego to Las Vegas, you have a better idea of what both these cities offer you. Each has a very different vibe and lifestyle quite unique to each of them. The laid-back neighborhoods and dynamic nightlife in Vegas stand out for their uniqueness while the scenic beauty and outdoorsy lifestyle of San Diego are very lively.
If you look at what both San Diego and Las Vegas offer you in terms of lifestyle, education, employment, and income, Las Vegas definitely stands out as the stronger and better city. The cost of living is lower, the housing market is comparatively affordable, the employment opportunities are immense and the lifestyle is also luxurious and comfortable. The crime rates, high sales tax, and transportation can be a bit bumpy in the positives that Las Vegas offers you, but nonetheless, it is an extremely welcoming and warm place to live in.
Moving from one city and state to another is a big expense that can cut a hole in your pocket. When moving from San Diego to Las Vegas, you will be spending approximately anywhere from $2,700 to $7,800. It is a big move that requires you to cross state borders so make sure your moving company is licensed to do so.
The cost of living in San Diego is higher than the cost of living in Las Vegas. So, when you move from San Diego to Las Vegas, your monthly expenses will be cut down accordingly. From taxes to groceries to transportation, your overall cost of living in Las Vegas will be budget-friendly compared to San Diego.
Las Vegas, as you probably know, is the most glamorous city in the country. Sin City has a good job market, excellent schools, no income taxes, and quality of life. If these are some of the many things that attract you to the city, moving here will be worth it to you. You also need to keep in mind that the cost of living and real estate in Vegas is higher and more expensive than the national average.
Like any other city in the world, Las Vegas too has its set of cons. Some of these are the high crime rate, expensive real estate market, expensive sales taxes, and high cost of living. These are some of the major cons that you will come across when living in the city.
See also: Moving from San Diego to Seattle – A Complete Guide
Alex Sherr is the founder of My Long Distance Movers, a blog that provides moving information and resources for people who are relocating. He has more than two decades of experience in the moving and relocation industry, and he is passionate about helping people relocate smoothly and efficiently. When he's not writing or blogging, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.
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