[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Katie the heartbreaker

What everyone fails to mention is really what the real gem of living in Las Vegas is. That would be the dirt cheap cost of living compared to other major metropolitin areas. The jobs in Las Vegas do pay less, but you can still do better here once you factor in living expenses.

I would much rather make $20 an hour in Las Vegas than to make $100,000 a year and have to live in NYC. You can actually live a better lifestyle here once everything is factored in. That is why the lower pay is not a problem. I only make $1,000 a month and do just fine. I even have quite a bit left over every month. Try that in NYC.

He did just fine in NYC. Not paying outrageous rent makes all the difference.

We definitely have the cost of living advantage in Vegas, though. Up here in Oakland, everything, even eggs, is at least 20% more than in Vegas. Our shopping ( Marshall's, the outlets, the grocery stores ) are all way superior to what they have available up here, and they are paying more for it!

It would be fun to do a compare / contrast thread about Oakland vs. Vegas.

[Grumpypotpie]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

He did just fine in NYC. Not paying outrageous rent makes all the difference.

We definitely have the cost of living advantage in Vegas, though. Up here in Oakland, everything, even eggs, is at least 20% more than in Vegas. Our shopping ( Marshall's, the outlets, the grocery stores ) are all way superior to what they have available up here, and they are paying more for it!

It would be fun to do a compare / contrast thread about Oakland vs. Vegas.

I live in Buffalo and the cost of living is very similar. I could take a pay cut (within reason) and be ok, because the taxes here are high, and no state tax on wages defrays some of the cut right away.

[ElleTea]

Whew I moved from (Midwest) the cost of living is very similar to Las Vegas. Property taxes are higher where I moved from, car registration slightly more, produce slightly more, but all other groceries about the same. Rent/housing is very much the same. Wages, though were just considerably lower in Vegas no matter what field I looked into, it seemed. To do the same job in Vegas as I was doing in the Midwest would pay me an average of 30-40% less.

[elkotronics]

Whew I moved from (Midwest) the cost of living is very similar to Las Vegas. Property taxes are higher where I moved from, car registration slightly more, produce slightly more, but all other groceries about the same. Rent/housing is very much the same. Wages, though were just considerably lower in Vegas no matter what field I looked into, it seemed. To do the same job in Vegas as I was doing in the Midwest would pay me an average of 30-40% less.

That is huge problem, then, as far as elkotronics is concerned. I will basically cross Lost Wages off my jobs shopping list, then. Because if food is still fairly expensive and rents are really not that low, then a job paying $7 an hour less in Las Vegas (if that was all I could get after negotiating with my hiring employer) would be an instant deal-breaker for me. Wow, an eye-opener.

[DavieJ89]

I guess I'm one of the lucky few in Vegas, I left Orlando making $10.50 an hour and now earn $19 at my job, but then again I am in the nightclub industry and not retail. I loved my company in Florida but my boss (among other personal reasons) made me hate my job and my life in Orlando, I hope that I never work retail again

Yes I don't have a car as it was recently totaled, BUT I'm making more money than I ever have before and I'll have the car I want soon enough, and then my own apartment or house! I'm glad to be back in Las Vegas and have no regrets

[EA]

No state tax adds a couple bucks an hour to your paycheck. I know that my job pays 2 more an hour in California but after state tax you bring home less than you do here.
No sales tax on a lot of things helps as well.
Unless you're a moron that tries to use the highway during rush hours there's no traffic which saves money on fuel.

My biggest gripe is the cost of auto insurance which offsets sales tax savings completely.

I have no desire to get another new car so registration is no longer a concern.

[PinkString]

Speaking of jobs, Goodwill was having a hiring fair this last weekend. I don't get how they only pay $8.25 an hour for every single job that is available, and a lot of it is really hard work, some is working outside only with no a/c and in the winter, no heat, yet the CEO gets over $250,000 a year for himself. What is the minimum wage here? I thought it was $9.50 an hour.

[EA]

They also pay the handicapped 2-3 an hour and less. Goodwill in name only. Their actions are quite the opposite.


http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_n...its-legal?lite

[lvmensch]

Wages in LV are not significantly different than Phoenix or US average. Both LV and Phoenix wages are just below US average. LV is perhaps 2% lower though some years it was higher than Phoenix. Both are noticeably higher than Orlando.

Poverty levels in LV are slightly better than Phoenix or Orlando and a little worse than the US average.

This does not imply that certain fields - ie IT - are not under paid. But on averages LV does reasonably well. Thank the Culinary which maintains a relatively high standard for hospitality and related fields.

Las Vegas is remarkably average.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by PinkString

Speaking of jobs, Goodwill was having a hiring fair this last weekend. I don't get how they only pay $8.25 an hour for every single job that is available, and a lot of it is really hard work, some is working outside only with no a/c and in the winter, no heat, yet the CEO gets over $250,000 a year for himself. What is the minimum wage here? I thought it was $9.50 an hour.

I love thrift stores, but that's the reason I don't go to Goodwill (that and their prices are high for second hand clothes, I get new at Ross for less). I stick to the local thrift stores, and really prefer the ones that are tied to animal rescue groups