Median rent is 15% lower in Las Cruces ($974/mo vs $1,145/mo). Buying is cheaper in Las Cruces, where the median home runs $231,700 versus $291,500. Households earn more in Albuquerque ($68,317 vs $55,422 a year).
City A
Albuquerque, NM
City B
Las Cruces, NM
How much would you need to earn in Las Cruces, NM to maintain your standard of living from Albuquerque, NM?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Las Cruces
New Mexico
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Las Cruces at $974/mo compared to $1,145/mo in Albuquerque (15% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Albuquerque: the median home is $291,500 versus $231,700 in Las Cruces — 21% more expensive.
Metric
Albuquerque
Las Cruces
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Albuquerque
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Las Cruces
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Albuquerque (avg AQI 28.0) but not yet for Las Cruces.
Pick Albuquerque if you prioritize higher median household income ($68,317/yr).
Pick Las Cruces if you prioritize cheaper rent ($974/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,145/mo in Albuquerque, NM and $974/mo in Las Cruces, NM. Las Cruces, NM has the lower rent by about 15%.
Median household income is $68,317 in Albuquerque, NM and $55,422 in Las Cruces, NM. Albuquerque, NM has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
