Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Las Cruces?

Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Las Cruces?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Las Cruces?

Austin 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).

Austin vs Las Cruces Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Las Cruces

New Mexico

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $940 in Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 40% higher in Austin, 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.

Austin, TX

Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$597

+56% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$793

+46% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$888

+50% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,177

+45% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$217,400

+58% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$55,176

+40% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$42,070

+26% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

32.7 yr

+1.8 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

55.6%

+11.2 pp in Las Cruces, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

37.3%

+20.9 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

18.7 min

+5.3 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

726

+52% in Las Cruces, NM

Property Crime

3,290.7

4,899.2

+49% 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

67.2°F

58.8°F

+8.4°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

—

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

about equal

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

14.1

+14% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$11.90

+61% in Austin, 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 Austin, 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

Austin vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Las Cruces?: Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Las Cruces?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Las Cruces?: Austin 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).