CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Las Cruces, NM Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

TX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
More AffordableNM
Las Cruces
90.2
overall index
$1,375/mo rent

Las Cruces is slightly cheaper than College Station — 0.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $79,300 in Las Cruces. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing16.1%
College Station
75.1
Las Cruces
63
🛒 Groceries+2.5%
College Station
93.8
Las Cruces
96.1
🚗 Transportation+2.4%
College Station
101.1
Las Cruces
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+2.4%
College Station
91.4
Las Cruces
93.6
Utilities7.7%
College Station
84.4
Las Cruces
77.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Las Cruces to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Las Cruces, NM
$79,300
$700 less needed in Las Cruces

Formula: salary × (90.2 ÷ 91) = salary × 0.9912. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Las Cruces, NM

Median Home Price
$282,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
63
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.1×

College Station has 16.1% lower housing costs compared to Las Cruces.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Las Cruces, NM

Median Household Income
$56,500
Per Capita Income
$32,200
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
111,385
Top Industries
EducationGovernmentHealthcareMilitaryRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Las Cruces, NM
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.