Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Las Cruces?

Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Evansville, IN's $950, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.

Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Las Cruces?

Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).

Evansville vs Las Cruces Cost of Living 2026

Evansville

Indiana

$950/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 $950 in Evansville, IN versus $940 in Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Evansville, IN, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 5% higher in Las Cruces, NM. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN

Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio

$741

$597

+19% in Evansville, IN

1 Bedroom

$768

$793

+3% in Las Cruces, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,022

$888

+13% in Evansville, IN

3 Bedroom

$1,167

$1,177

+1% in Las Cruces, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$129,100

$217,400

+68% in Las Cruces, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$52,251

$55,176

+6% in Las Cruces, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,540

$42,070

+10% in Evansville, IN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.1 yr

32.7 yr

+5.4 yr in Evansville, IN

Homeownership

53.9%

55.6%

+1.7 pp in Las Cruces, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

22.3%

37.3%

+15.0 pp in Las Cruces, NM

Avg Commute

18.7 min

about equal

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,210.5

726

+40% in Evansville, IN

Property Crime

3,716.2

4,899.2

+32% 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

56.4°F

58.8°F

+2.4°F in Las Cruces, NM

Annual Precipitation

45.3 in

—

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in Evansville, IN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

18.1

14.1

+22% in Evansville, IN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.70

$11.90

+13% in Evansville, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Las Cruces, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Las Cruces, NM

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Evansville, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Las Cruces, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Evansville, IN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Las Cruces, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / NM)

4.875%

+2.1 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.95%

5.90%

+3.0 pp in NM

Evansville vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Las Cruces?: Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Evansville, IN's $950, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Las Cruces?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Las Cruces?: Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).