Cost of living in Reno research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Reno is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Nevada, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Reno is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Reno is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Reno ranks as the #26 cheapest in Nevada out of 32.
Reno ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Reno is $558,136.
The median income in Reno is $78,448.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Reno has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Nevada, Reno has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Nevada's index of 101.
The standard of living in Reno ranks as #26 most affordable out of the 32 places we measured in Nevada. By definition, that implies Reno ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Silver State.
For more reading on life in Reno, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Reno. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Reno is 101.
The Groceries index in Reno is 103.
The Health index in Reno is 94.
The Housing index in Reno is 174.
The Transportation index in Reno is 122.
The Utilities index in Reno is 92.
| Living Expense | Reno | Nevada | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Housing | 174 | 105 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 122 | 118 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 101 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Nevada, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Reno is $558,136.
The Median Rent in Reno is $1,453.
The Median Income in Reno is $78,448.
The Home Value To Income in Reno is 7.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Reno is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Reno. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sparks, NV has a cost of living index of 121, 1.0x Reno.
Sun Valley, NV has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Reno.
Spanish Springs, NV has a cost of living index of 133, 1.1x Reno.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks, NV | 109,106 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Sun Valley, NV | 22,697 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Spanish Springs, NV | 17,512 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Cold Springs, NV | 11,223 | 118 | 1.0x |