What's The Real Cost of Living in Reno, NV in 2025?

In 2025, Reno is a tech-tilting mountain city whose bills land somewhere between Salt Lake simplicity and Bay-Area sticker shock. If you're thinking of moving here, this overview into what life really costs beside the Truckee River is worth the read.

Reno Cost of Living Index

The 2025 RentCafe cost of living calculator pegs Reno 4 percent above the U.S. composite and 5 percent above the Nevada average. Housing is the heavyweight, pricing in 11 percent higher than national norms, while utilities come in 7 percent lower and groceries roughly 3 percent higher. 

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics folds Reno into its West Region basket, the best temperature check is the regional CPI. As of April 2025, all-items CPI-U for the West rose 2.1 percent year-over-year, with shelter up 4 percent and energy climbing 2.3 percent—numbers that show inflation off its 2022 boil but still nibbling at paychecks. 

Consumer Expenditure Survey

BLS’s latest Reno Economic Summary lists West-region households spending an average of $89,510 in 2023. Housing swallowed 29 percent of that, transportation expenses 17 percent, food 12 percent, and healthcare 7 percent. The same chart shows national spending at $77,280, so Reno families track closer to the western pattern than the national one, especially on housing and transportation outlays. 

Family Budget in Reno

MIT’s Living Wage calculator (updated February 2025) says a single adult needs about $49,000 before taxes to cover bare-bones basics. Compare this to two working adults with two kids and you'll need roughly $121,000. Those figures bake in $20,751 for housing, $15,491 for transportation, and just over $13,000 for childcare. Of course, this will vary based on family size.

Household Items, Utilities, Gas & Grocery Prices in Reno

Numbeo’s May 2025 basket lists gallon milk at $5.01, a dozen eggs at $4.63, and a pound of chicken at $5.97. An in-town grocery run routinely finishes 3 percent more expensive than the national average. Energy bills average $188 per month for a typical 900-square-foot apartment, while mobile-and-internet packages sit almost identical at $188. At the pump, AAA shows gas prices at $4.28 a gallon as of June 2025, nearly $1.15 higher than the national average. 

Average Salary & Household Income in Reno, Nevada

Census 2023 ACS data pegs median household income at $78,448, while per-capita income lands near $45,000. A separate BLS wage snapshot puts the average weekly wage for all industries in Washoe County at $1,326 (≈$68,900 annually), trailing the U.S. average but lifting fast on tech-sector bonuses.

Income, Sales & Property Taxes in Reno

Nevada Income Tax Rate

Nevada sets its personal income-tax rate at 0 percent across every bracket. As a result, paychecks face only federal withholding and FICA—no state bite at all. For transplants leaving high-tax states, that switch can save thousands of dollars each year.

Sales Tax in Reno Nevada

The statewide base is 6.85 percent, and Washoe County layers local options to reach 8.265 percent on most retail transactions. Dining out, furniture splurges, and DIY remodel supplies all ring up at that combined rate.

Reno Property Tax Rate

Nevada assesses homes at 35 percent of market value, then applies an overlapping cap of $3.64 per $100 of assessed value. In Washoe County the effective rate works out to about 0.51 percent of market price, or roughly $2,200 a year on a $425,000 starter home. State law (AB 489) also limits owner-occupied increases to 3 percent per year, buffering long-term budgets from rapid valuation spikes.

Reno Real Estate Market

Realtor.com’s April 2025 data shows a median listing price of $587,000—down 3.8 percent year-over-year but still lofty for an inland metro. Zillow’s Home Value Index mirrors the picture at $569,614 and notes a lightning-fast median 16-day escrow. Entry-level condos around Meadowood still hover near $350,000, new North Valleys townhomes launch in the mid-$400s, and ArrowCreek ridge-line customs top $1.5 million without blinking. Average rent data in Reno tallies $1,691, while a typical two-bedroom running $1,772. 

In 2025, How Much Do I Need to Earn to Live Comfortably in Reno ?

Start with the MIT living-wage math: one adult, no kids, needs roughly $49,000 before taxes; two adults with two children need just over $121,000. Layer on median rent or a mid-five-hundred-thousand mortgage, toss in $188 energy bills, $4.28 gas, and an 8.265 percent sales-tax, and breathing room for everyday expenses emerges closer to $65,000 for a solo professional and $135,000 for a family of four. Those figures assume standard debts; student-loan or high daycare costs push the bar higher.

Cost of Living in Reno FAQs

What is the average monthly cost for a single renter?

Rent for a studio or one-bedroom averages about $1,500 in Midtown, plus $188 for utilities, $300 for groceries, and $40 in sales tax on sundries—roughly $2,100 before entertainment. 

What salary lets a young professional live comfortably?

Estimate $65,000. That covers median rent, average utilities, transportation at 17 percent of budget, and leaves a cushion for weekend Tahoe runs without accumulating credit-card float. 

How high can living expenses climb for a family of four?

MIT’s budget shows basic needs at $108,000 after taxes when both adults work. Add private-school tuition or a jumbo mortgage in Caughlin Ranch and annual outlays can easily top $160,000. 

Is it cheaper to live in Reno or Palm Springs?

Reno runs about 11 percent cheaper on housing and breaks even on groceries, but utility costs (especially summer A/C) flip: Reno’s $188 average energy bill trails Palm Springs by more than $60 a month.

Does “no state income tax” really offset Reno’s high housing?

For six-figure earners relocating from California’s 9.3 percent bracket, the tax savings can equal $9,300 on a $100,000 salary—roughly a year’s worth of Reno utilities and insurance. But home prices still demand jumbo down payments, so net benefit depends on equity carried into the move.