Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Las Cruces

New Mexico

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $940 in Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 25% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$597
+45% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$793
+33% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$888
+37% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,177
+35% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$217,400
+21% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$55,176
+25% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$42,070
+18% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
32.7 yr
+0.9 yr in Arlington, TX
Homeownership
54.8%
55.6%
+0.8 pp in Las Cruces, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
37.3%
+4.2 pp in Las Cruces, NM
Avg Commute
26.7 min
18.7 min
+8.0 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
726
+47% in Las Cruces, NM
Property Crime
2,434.5
4,899.2
+101% in Las Cruces, NM

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
58.8°F
+6.6°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
—

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.1
+14% in Arlington, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$11.90
+61% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Las Cruces, NM
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Las Cruces, NM
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Arlington, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Las Cruces, NM
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Las Cruces, NM
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Las Cruces, NM

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NM)
6.25%
4.875%
+1.4 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.90%
+5.9 pp in NM

Arlington vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Las Cruces?
Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Las Cruces?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Las Cruces?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Las Cruces under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).