Working in Las Vegas United States of America
Known as the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ or ‘Sin City’, depending on who you ask, Las Vegas is recognised around gloablly for its lavish tourist experience. The largest city in the state of Nevada, Las Vegas is situated in the southern part of the state in the Mojave Desert.
Close to 2 million people live in the Las Vegas greater metropolitan area and the city is regarded as one of the top tourist destinations in the United States for its glitzy casinos and hotels. Las Vegas has a subtropical, desert climate, with long, hot summers and short, cool winters.
- Airport
- Railway Station
- Transportation
- Cost of Living
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Emergency
- Insurance and Healthcare
Location
Tourism Video
Airport
McCarran International Airport
The main commercial airport in Las Vegas, McCarran International Airport is located just 5km from the city’s main Strip. One of the world’s busiest airports, more than 40 million passengers travel through McCarran International on an annual basis.
Due to its close proximity to the Strip, McCarran International Airport is a relatively easy destination to reach. Several bus and shuttle services are offered around Downtown Las Vegas for travel to the airport. Visitors should also check with their hotel for private services that are offered.
Railway Station
Not Available
Transportation
The quickest and easiest forms of public transport to get around Las Vegas are either by bus or monorail. Buses are the most inexpensive and provide a great way to move along the Strip, travel through Downtown or to reach the city’s inner and outer suburban areas. The monorail service, albeit more expensive than the city’s buses, provide a great option for quick transport along the Strip. Travel around Las Vegas by foot can also be very convenient, especially along the Strip. Most of the hotels and casinos along the Strip are close together and even connected by bridges or underground tunnels.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Las Vegas is average to high by western standards for expats. However, rental prices in Las Vegas are average by American standards for working holidaymakers wishing to spend an extended time in the city. According to online cost of living database Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/), prices for typical items on current exchange rates (August 2013) are as follows:
| Food | |
| Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) | $10.00 |
| Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant | $60.00 |
| Domestic beer (500mL) | $3.00 |
| Coke (330mL) | $1.50 |
| Milk (1 litre) | $0.90 |
| Loaf of bread | $1.95 |
| Eggs | $2.00 |
| Transport | |
| One way ticket (local transport) | $2.00 |
| Monthly pass | $65.00 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | $1.00 |
| Rent (monthly) | |
| One bedroom apartment (central area) | $600 approx |
| Three bedroom apartment (central area) | $1000 approx |
| Accommodation | |
| Hostel bed (one night) | $25 |
| Five star hotel room (one night) | $225 |
| Average monthly salary (after tax) | $3400 |
Accommodation
When it comes to finding good value accommodation, Las Vegas has a lot to offer. For less than $200 a night visitors can expect to find some of the finest, value-for-money hotel offerings in the world. The most popular area in Las Vegas is obviously on the Strip where a huge number of hotels and casinos are situated.
A few options to consider include:
Budget
Hostel Cat
Sin City Hostel
Las Vegas Hostel
Mid-range
Tuscany Suite Casino
Treasure Island
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
High-end
Trump International Hotel & Tower
Flamingo Las Vegas
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
Shopping
Accommodating large numbers of tourists, Las Vegas has a strong range of shopping malls, direct factory outlets and shopping centres. Several of these shopping malls are affiliated to casinos and hotels in the city. However, there are several independent shopping malls as well. The major independent shopping malls in Las Vegas include Town Square and Fashion Show Mall. The city’s top factory outlets are Las Vegas Premium Outlets – North and Las Vegas Premium Outlets – South. Be aware that a combined state and local sales tax of 8.1% applies in Las Vegas. Groceries and prescription drugs are exempt.
Emergency
Emergency numbers
Police / Fire / Medical emergency 911
Insurance and Healthcare
Health care in the United States consists of public and private sectors. The public sector is generally provided by the government and funded by taxes. Public health care programs in the United States include Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The system is rated highly on a global scale by the World Health Organisation, but there is a high percentage of Americans not covered by health care. The WBO also rates the quality of health facilities in the United States as excellent.
There is a higher focus on the private sector than public in the United States. This provides expats with a large number of options when choosing a health care plan in the country. Costs for private health treatment in the United State are comparable to those in Australia.
Despite a high standard of health facilities in the United States, DFAT recommends all Australians travelling to the country take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover any overseas costs.