Moving to Nevada from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Nevada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Nevada, you would find that Nevada is 8.0% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $65,611 in Nevada to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Nevada.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $65,611
To maintain the same standard of living in Nevada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.3% more
Groceries
pay 6.4% less
Transportation
pay 0.5% more
Housing
pay 17.0% less
Childcare
pay 28.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Nevada.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
California generally does better on safety, though Nevada leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nevada leads in diabetes rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Nevada performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
California generally does better on infrastructure, though Nevada leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Nevada leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
California performs better than Nevada across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Carson City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 51°/26°F (10°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 72°/41°F (22°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 86°/49°F (30°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 56°/28°F (13°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Carson City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 45°/22°F (7.3°/-5.7°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 50°/25°F (9.9°/-3.7°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 57°/30°F (13.7°/-1.2°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 63°/34°F (17.1°/1.1°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 71°/41°F (21.9°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 81°/47°F (27.3°/8.4°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 90°/52°F (32.0°/11.2°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 88°/51°F (31.1°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 80°/43°F (26.9°/6.3°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 68°/35°F (19.9°/1.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 54°/27°F (12.4°/-2.7°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 45°/22°F (7.2°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Nevada than California?
Yes — Nevada is on average about 13% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Nevada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,403 in Nevada on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Nevada safe?
California generally does better on safety, though Nevada leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Nevada compared to California?
California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nevada leads in diabetes rate.
What's the weather like in Nevada compared to California?
The average high temperature in Carson City is 66°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Carson City receives around 9.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
