Moving to New Mexico from South Carolina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Carolina to New Mexico — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Carolina to New Mexico, you would find that New Mexico is 1.1% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $71,188 in New Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Carolina to New Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $71,188
To maintain the same standard of living in New Mexico
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 9.3% less
Groceries
pay 6.6% less
Transportation
pay 7.5% less
Housing
pay 10.1% less
Childcare
pay 4.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.4% more
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Carolina to New Mexico.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
South Carolina performs better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
New Mexico generally does better on what about housing?, though South Carolina leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
South Carolina generally does better on infrastructure, though New Mexico leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
South Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though New Mexico leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
South Carolina 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Columbia | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) | 48°/22°F (9°/-5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 73°/43°F (23°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 82°/53°F (28°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) | 54°/28°F (12°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Columbia | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) | 43°/19°F (5.9°/-7.4°C) |
| Feb | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) | 47°/21°F (8.3°/-6.2°C) |
| Mar | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) | 54°/27°F (12.3°/-2.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) | 63°/33°F (17.4°/0.6°C) |
| May | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.3°C) |
| Jun | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) | 83°/52°F (28.3°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) | 85°/56°F (29.6°/13.4°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) | 83°/55°F (28.1°/12.8°C) |
| Sep | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) | 65°/38°F (18.6°/3.1°C) |
| Nov | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) | 53°/28°F (11.6°/-2.5°C) |
| Dec | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) | 43°/19°F (6.2°/-7.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in New Mexico than South Carolina?
Yes — New Mexico is on average about 5% cheaper than South Carolina. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to New Mexico?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,797 in New Mexico on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is New Mexico safe?
South Carolina performs better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in New Mexico compared to South Carolina?
South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in New Mexico compared to South Carolina?
The average high temperature in Santa Fe is 64°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Santa Fe receives around 15.7 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.
