[vatonv]

We are probably moving to LV by the end of August and I am trying to get a feel for what our household expenses will be. We currently live in a 3,500 SF house in VA and we pay the following, please let me know what your average is per month and the SF of home, etc. I have heard the cost of living is cheaper there but I have nothing tangible to base the statement

PER MONTH HH EXPENSES
Electric - ~$150-350 (depending on season)
Propane (gas in LV?) - $240
Local phone / internet - $80
Long distance - $20
Dish (Cox cable in LV?) - $100
Water - $0
Trash - $15
HOA - $20
Groceries - ~$600 (but that varies based on family of course but I heard LV is more expensive that other places - true?)

Did I miss anything?

Also, what is the gas per gallon there right now? We are $2.77 for regular.

And, is there a water ration or something like it during the summer? How does that work?

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR POSTS!

[Chest Rockwell]

You'll pay less gas and more power, but other than that the difference is slight.
There's really no water ration, except that you can only water your lawn on designated days in the winter.

The big difference will probably be the cost of a 3500 sqft house here and the HOA dues.

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by vatonv

We are probably moving to LV by the end of August and I am trying to get a feel for what our household expenses will be. We currently live in a 3,500 SF house in VA and we pay the following, please let me know what your average is per month and the SF of home, etc. I have heard the cost of living is cheaper there but I have nothing tangible to base the statement

PER MONTH HH EXPENSES
Electric - ~$150-350 (depending on season)
Propane (gas in LV?) - $240
Local phone / internet - $80
Long distance - $20
Dish (Cox cable in LV?) - $100
Water - $0
Trash - $15
HOA - $20
Groceries - ~$600 (but that varies based on family of course but I heard LV is more expensive that other places - true?)

Did I miss anything?

Also, what is the gas per gallon there right now? We are $2.77 for regular.

And, is there a water ration or something like it during the summer? How does that work?

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR POSTS!

]

I'll try and help you out..

I'll tell you my most recent utility bills that I received last week..I have a 4 bedroom, 3 bath ranch, about 2700 sq ft...upgraded with energy efficient appliances, energy star a/c units (two zones) new insulation, and a solar fan in the attic (keeps the heat from collecting up there and helps keep the house cooler)



Electric $168.00-$212.00 thermostats on 79-80 degrees (monthly during summer, about $65.00 in winter)
Water $50.00 watering the front and back on the LVVWA 3 times a day schedule, in summer..about $25.00 in winter...monthly
Gas $30.00 in summer, $70.00 in winter (monthly)
Local Phone $24.00 monthly
Long distance $14.00 monthly ( unless I have some international calls)
Trash $35.00 every three months
Sewer $160.00 per year
Cable/Internet $161.00 monthly (premium cable service, HDTV on 3 tv's)

I have no HOA fees here, but in my two rental props, they are quite high...about $80.00 - $100.00 per month for each of the two communities my rentals are located in.

My Summerlin rental also had a SID (special improvement district) bill attached to it when we bought the house, it's a lien placed on your home until it is satisfied, which we paid for in full. It's a one time charge, about $4500.00 for that house if memory serves me right, and they all end in 2009. Summerlin is one of the locations here in LV that is considered a SID...
Special Improvement Districts (Official City of Las Vegas Web Site)

Most of this Summerlin SID charge was for the construction of Summerlin Parkway and other roadways, landscaping, etc. I don't know if there is a new SID attached to any new homes being built up there though, so you might want to check with either the Summerlin Association or the City of Las Vegas if you are considering buying a new home there..you will have to figure in that annual or bi-annual payment of the SID in your operating expenses..

Most other areas of LV do not have the SID charge...

Groceries...my food shopping bill is a bit steeper at about $750-850 per month..but we do a lot of entertaining and always have folks "stopping by", kids, grandkids and such..


Water is rationed meaning you can run your outdoor sprinklers for an alloted time...like three times a day, for 4 minutes each zone and no watering between 11am and 7pm in the summer, no car washing during this time also. These restrictions ease up a bit in the cooler months

Of course, living here in the desert, we always get reminded (through public service announcements and the water district) to not waste water....but there is no restrictions on personal use (showers, dishwashers, sinks, etc)

I just filled up my car's gas tank for the weekend..I paid $2.95 per gallon.

Hope this helps you, and good luck with your move!

[lvkewlkid]

Nevada is supposed to have the 2nd highest price of groceries in the countries...the gas station by my house also is between 2.95 and 2.99 for the past week...HOA fees will depend on the neighborhood and the amenities it provides, the number of houses in the community, and of course, if you even have an HOA...There are places in Henderson like Green Valley Ranch, Seven Hills, and (I think) Anthem, that have LIDS, which is just Henderson's way of SIDS...

[RedWingsFan]

Nevada is very expensive to register your car and insurance costs more than than in many other states. Yes, California is also expensive (I just know someone will pipe up and say that). But when you compare those costs with other states, especially back east (taking out NY), they are very expensive. For example, to register my car in NV was $550 and several months after renewing it there for that amount we moved to Florida and it was only $200. And that was for the first year only, that's because they have a $100 first time vehicle registration fee, after that each year it will be around $45 to renew. WAY cheaper than NV.

People brag that there are no taxes in NV. It's the same thing in Florida. But believe me, you still pay the money to the state, it's just not in a form of something called "state income tax." They take it in fees for other things, like the car registration.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

Nevada is very expensive to register your car and insurance costs more than than in many other states. Yes, California is also expensive (I just know someone will pipe up and say that). But when you compare those costs with other states, especially back east (taking out NY), they are very expensive. For example, to register my car in NV was $550 and several months after renewing it there for that amount we moved to Florida and it was only $200. And that was for the first year only, that's because they have a $100 first time vehicle registration fee, after that each year it will be around $45 to renew. WAY cheaper than NV.

People brag that there are no taxes in NV. It's the same thing in Florida. But believe me, you still pay the money to the state, it's just not in a form of something called "state income tax." They take it in fees for other things, like the car registration.

Yeah is it because there is a really high number of accidents in LV?(Talking bout the auto insurance costs)I remember seeing so many accident speciallest commercials and my cousin who lives in NLV said there was an accident at least once a week at his intersection and at least one at every major intersection.Is any of this true?

[garth]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

you still pay the money to the state

No matter what the state is, they get their money from somewhere. One state might be low vehicle registration fees, but look at their property taxes, or their income taxes, or something else. It has to come from somewhere.

The bottom line remains the total burden. Even that one will vary depending on someone's circumstances, some may be income heavy, others asset heavy, certain people may be renters while others own lavishly expensive homes. Each circumstance may do better in different states, as it relates to the overall tax burden on the individual.

With that said, here's a link to follow: CNN State Ranking List for 2005. It shows that Nevada's overall tax burden on residents ranks 38 out of 50. In other words, 37 other states take a bigger bite out of a resident's income.

So, the tax burden isn't as bad as some might want others to think. In fact, it's pretty darn good in comparison to other states.

Now, if someone has an authoratative link to overall consumer burdens (grocery, fuel, etc.), I'd like to see that ranking. I haven't found anything, yet. It would be great to cover issues like homeowner insurance costs that are sooooo out of line in a state like Florida, such that it's sometimes not even available on some properties, that it skews any other savings. In the case of Florida, such a problem would severly skew their superbly low tax burden ranking of 44 out of 50 to make it unattractive to many.

We've come to our State deicison by traveling all over the Nation consdering different places to settle. The overall tax and cost of living burdens were a couple of things that we considered everywhere we went. Florida was one state we considered and South Dakota was another. There were many other places too, like Missouri, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Tennessee. In all cases, we found something to benefit us, like low vehicle fees, and others that we thought were onerous, like a property tax rate well in excess of 2% of the sales price in one place. In all cases, it came down to the bottom line that was then added to other features we were seeking.

I would suggest that any research into any state is best related by the story of the three blind men and the elephant. You know that one, right? Each one approaches the elephant and touches a different part and tells the others what an elephant is like. Each of them was right and each of them was wrong. They did not get the entire picture when they focused just on the elephant's trunk (like a snake), his side (like a wall), and his tail (like a rope).

So, don't be a blind man and focus on just one thing or be swayed by another blind man who has their own focus. It's the entire picture, which may also include weather, recreational opportunities, job opportunities, crime, culture, and many other different things in addition to the tax burden.

So, that's just my take and recommendations.

Oh btw, regular gas is down to $2.89/ gallon in town as of yesterday. I'm sure it's better back east, but its been a while since I've seen it this low in the West.

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

Nevada is very expensive to register your car and insurance costs more than than in many other states. Yes, California is also expensive (I just know someone will pipe up and say that). But when you compare those costs with other states, especially back east (taking out NY), they are very expensive. For example, to register my car in NV was $550 and several months after renewing it there for that amount we moved to Florida and it was only $200. And that was for the first year only, that's because they have a $100 first time vehicle registration fee, after that each year it will be around $45 to renew. WAY cheaper than NV.

People brag that there are no taxes in NV. It's the same thing in Florida. But believe me, you still pay the money to the state, it's just not in a form of something called "state income tax." They take it in fees for other things, like the car registration.

$550.00 for the first year to register my new car here in NV with about a 10% drop in fee per year is STILL a heck of a lot cheaper than paying any State's income tax. My daughter pays about $4000.00 per year in state income tax in NY...

And yeah, you can claim the car registration fee on your taxes and get some $$$ back...just like any state's income tax....

And yes, we are invaded by crazy drivers in abundance on our roadways, so accidents are a daily occurrence.

We are #1 in the country for stolen cars...LV has the highest number of parking garages/lots in the country so pickings are good for the car thief...

Unfortunately, our car insurance premiums show it..

I pay $1700 per year for two vehicles...a 2006 M/B SUV and a 99 Pontiac...not as high as NY, NJ or California..but higher than most other places. We have clean drivers history and get the 20% discount for having our homeowners insurance with the same company (Farmers)

Note to Garth: regular unleaded was $3.15 per gallon on Long Island today and it's higher in NYC...we pay less here in LV compared to that

I can only compare the living expenses here in LV to NYC which I know very well..and LV is less expensive for everything. I hear California is as expensive to live as NYC..and any place else that's cheaper...well, you get what you pay for...

[lvknight]

Keep in mind, that the older the house the higher the utilities usually. That is unless the last homeower upgraded a/c units, windows, etc. I have 1150 square foot house built in 1980. Original windows and doors, a/c unit is about 4 years old. I just added cieling fans this year and looking at my last bill I used about 10% less energy than last year, but NV Power just raised their rated so its a wash.

Power bill...$250. Set at 79 during the day, 77 evenings, about $125 winter

Gas bill...$90 winter Set at 66 day, 69 night, $40 in summer. I have a gas heater, gas water heater, and clothes dryer. I just replaced my dryer and the new dryes in half the time so I should see a difference.

Water bill runs about $40-50 summer, $20 winter. 750 square feet of lawn, front loading washer, and a family of 4 that likes to take loooong showers.

Trash is around $40 with the rental of a 96 gallon trash can

Sewer is included with my mortgage, can't remember the cost.

Gas is around $3/gallon.

Cell phone is $140 with 3 lines, 1500 minutes/month, unlimited text messaging on 1 line and insurance on two of the phones.

Cable is $130 month. Included home phone line, cable, high speed internet, and DVR.

I have an '07 crew cab 2 wheel drive truck and a '04 ford focus. We both have a clean driving history and are in our early 30's and pay $1350 every 6 months for insurance with Geico. Because of our bankruptcy and hence lower credit score no one else comes close to touching geico for insurance rates for us. Tried everyone in the phonebook, e-surance, and other places online. If you have good credit, you will probably beat that. We are going to be moving to San Antonio next summer. I was curious and called Geico for a quote for that city using my wifes familys address and was quoted $750 every 6 months for insurance there. Other people I've known have also gotten sticker shock when they have moved here for auto insurance. Also we cary much higher than state minimums so that could be why we pay so much.

Also vehicle registration is expensive here. My truck was $475 last year for a new registration with credit for my existing tags. Car will run us around $200 this year. Groceries run around $800 month for us. Thats a family of 4 with two young bouys who do nothing but run and eat all day long. Hope that helps.

[vatonv]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful information. I am so glad I found this Web site by chance.

My husband is in Vegas this upcoming week for the last round meetings / negotiations. Coming from a state that has state tax and high cost of living it's hard to determine if our costs will be the same, etc. It's hard to determine the salary request, etc. When we moved to VA to salary sounded great (almost double) but we use every bit of it in living expenses so we actually were doing better with the lower salary / cost of living.

We are very excited about moving to Vegas and our fingers (and toes) are crossed that it all works out for us.

Thank you once again.