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Originally Posted by matagofie
What are the pros and cons of Las Vegas vs Orlando in terms of cost of living, job market, safety, things to do, and scenery?
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Orlando:
Cost of Living: Good overall. Rent is high, but home prices are very reasonable. The lower salaries from the service industry pulls down its buying power score. But if you have a job outside of the service industry, buying power is very good.
Job Market: Though its top industry is tourism and retirees, it is more diversified than some realize. Has a nice high tech, healthcare sector that's growing. The economy is excellent overall.
Safety: Orlando's crime rate is higher than the national average. But in my times there, I've never felt unsafe. Crime rates can be a tad relative. Most crimes in any city/metro usually take place in certain pockets of town. Too, the perpetrators and victims usually know one another. So if one knows what areas to avoid and uses common sense, they will be fine.
Things to do: In my rankings, Orlando is top 5, especially considering its size. Though it's hands-down the world-class theme park capital of the World, there are many other things to do: Parks, greeways, lakes, NBA basketball/MLS soccer, 4 major waterparks, several large entertainment districts, an excellent food scene, the Atlantic AND Gulf coasts nearby. Tampa Bay and all of its offerings is only 80 miles away.
Scenery: Very lush/green, unique flora and birds not readily seen in nearly any other area of the U.S. Many very pretty lakes.
Extra worth mentioning: Considering it's one of the top tourist destinations in the World, Orlando's done an extraordinarily good job at keeping tourist and residential areas separate. North of the Florida Turnpike, you don't even realize that your in a tourist city/metro. Looks and feels just like a nice, growing, livable Sun Belt area.
Cons - Only 2 seasons, humidity, thunderstorms almost daily in the Summer (but they almost always clear out quickly enough that is doesn't mess up outdoor plans). Flat.
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Las Vegas:
Cost of Living: Higher than Orlando overall, but a little below the +33% national average threshold that makes it "expensive".
Job Market: Good. Tourist based. Doesn't really have much diversity at all, less so than Orlando. But there are jobs to be had.
Safety: See Orlando.
Things to do: Lake Mead, NFL football/NHL hockey, Wet n Wild water park, big food scene, gambling, shows, hiking in the mountains.
Scenery: Mountains and lots of sun.
Cons - Though Las Vegas is relatively affordable, its cost of living is growing faster than the national average. The job market is much too service industry dependent. Though there is plenty to do, gaming isn't as appealing to a broad demographic as other recreational assets. Extremely dry and hot, barran.
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Overall: I lived in Orlando for a year in the mid 2000's (really loved it) and visit very regularly. I've been to Las Vegas 3 times and it was ok at best. Just from my personal taste and opinion, I overwhelmingly would choose Orlando to live over Las Vegas. It's just more "livable" to me and feels more like I want a city and metro area to feel. There's a wider variety of recreational assets compared to Las Vegas. The type of recreational assets is more universally appealing to a broader group of people than Las Vegas. Overall, I much prefer Orlando over Las Vegas as a place to live AND visit.
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