Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/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 $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $940 in Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 39% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 45% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Juneau, AK
Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio
$993
$597
+40% in Juneau, AK
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$793
+37% in Juneau, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$888
+46% in Juneau, AK
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$1,177
+40% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$217,400
+50% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$55,176
+45% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
—
$42,070

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
32.7 yr
+7.1 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
55.6%
+8.8 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
37.3%
+3.2 pp in Juneau, AK
Avg Commute
15.8 min
18.7 min
+2.9 min in Las Cruces, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
726
+41% in Las Cruces, NM
Property Crime
2,113.1
4,899.2
+132% 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
42.1°F
58.8°F
+16.7°F in Las Cruces, NM
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
—

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$3.62/gal
+31% in Juneau, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
15.1
+47% in Juneau, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$9.31
+46% in Juneau, AK

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / NM)
None
4.875%
+4.9 pp in NM
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.90%
+5.9 pp in NM

Juneau vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Las Cruces?
Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Las Cruces?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Las Cruces?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no 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).