Moving to New Mexico from Nevada

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Nevada to New Mexico? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Nevada to New Mexico, you would find that New Mexico is 10.5% cheaper than Nevada. A $75,000 salary in Nevada would need to be roughly $67,321 in New Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nevada and New Mexico.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $67,321

To maintain the same standard of living in New Mexico

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 18.2% less

Groceries

pay 5.0% less

Transportation

pay 27.2% less

Housing

pay 14.4% less

Childcare

pay 3.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in New Mexico compared to Nevada.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NV
406
NM
745
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NV
2450
NM
2872

Nevada performs better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

NV
10.7%
NM
9.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NV
32.5%
NM
32.2%

Nevada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

NV
$406,100
NM
$232,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NV
$1,489
NM
$1,021

New Mexico performs significantly better than Nevada across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NV
90.4%
NM
84.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NV
25 min
NM
23 min

Nevada generally does better on infrastructure, though New Mexico leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NV
4.9%
NM
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NV
$63,175
NM
$56,008

Nevada generally does better on employment & economy, though New Mexico leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

NV
76.3 yrs
NM
74.5 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

NV
18%
NM
21%

Nevada generally does better on family life, though New Mexico leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Carson City Rain: 9.7 in/yr (246 mm)
66° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Santa Fe Rain: 15.7 in/yr (399 mm)
64° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Carson City Santa Fe
Jan–Mar 51°/26°F (10°/-4°C) 48°/22°F (9°/-5°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/41°F (22°/5°C) 73°/43°F (23°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/49°F (30°/9°C) 82°/53°F (28°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 56°/28°F (13°/-2°C) 54°/28°F (12°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Carson City Santa Fe
Jan 45°/22°F (7.3°/-5.7°C) 43°/19°F (5.9°/-7.4°C)
Feb 50°/25°F (9.9°/-3.7°C) 47°/21°F (8.3°/-6.2°C)
Mar 57°/30°F (13.7°/-1.2°C) 54°/27°F (12.3°/-2.6°C)
Apr 63°/34°F (17.1°/1.1°C) 63°/33°F (17.4°/0.6°C)
May 71°/41°F (21.9°/4.9°C) 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.3°C)
Jun 81°/47°F (27.3°/8.4°C) 83°/52°F (28.3°/11.2°C)
Jul 90°/52°F (32.0°/11.2°C) 85°/56°F (29.6°/13.4°C)
Aug 88°/51°F (31.1°/10.3°C) 83°/55°F (28.1°/12.8°C)
Sep 80°/43°F (26.9°/6.3°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/9.1°C)
Oct 68°/35°F (19.9°/1.4°C) 65°/38°F (18.6°/3.1°C)
Nov 54°/27°F (12.4°/-2.7°C) 53°/28°F (11.6°/-2.5°C)
Dec 45°/22°F (7.2°/-5.6°C) 43°/19°F (6.2°/-7.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Mexico than Nevada?

On average New Mexico is about 10% less expensive than Nevada, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to New Mexico?

Budget about $16,830 for 3 months in New Mexico (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is New Mexico safe?

Nevada performs better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in New Mexico compared to Nevada?

Nevada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in New Mexico compared to Nevada?

The average high temperature in Santa Fe is 64°F, compared to 66°F in Carson City. Santa Fe receives around 15.7 in of rainfall per year, while Carson City gets 9.7 in.

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