Moving to New Mexico from Wyoming

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Wyoming to New Mexico, you would find that New Mexico is 3.8% cheaper than Wyoming. A $75,000 salary in Wyoming would need to be roughly $72,425 in New Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $72,425

To maintain the same standard of living in New Mexico

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.5% less

Groceries

pay 10.4% more

Transportation

pay 13.9% less

Housing

pay 11.2% less

Childcare

pay 10.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 1.3% less

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 Wyoming.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WY
190
NM
745
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WY
1458
NM
2872

Wyoming 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

WY
11.2%
NM
9.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WY
34.6%
NM
32.2%

New Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wyoming leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

WY
$285,100
NM
$232,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WY
$968
NM
$1,021

Wyoming generally does better on what about housing?, though New Mexico leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

WY
89.3%
NM
84.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WY
18 min
NM
23 min

Wyoming performs better than New Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WY
3.6%
NM
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WY
$67,568
NM
$56,008

Wyoming performs better than New Mexico across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

WY
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

WY
20%
NM
21%

Wyoming 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.

Cheyenne Rain: 15.9 in/yr (405 mm)
58° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Cheyenne Santa Fe
Jan–Mar 42°/20°F (6°/-6°C) 48°/22°F (9°/-5°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/40°F (18°/4°C) 73°/43°F (23°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/52°F (26°/11°C) 82°/53°F (28°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/25°F (9°/-4°C) 54°/28°F (12°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Cheyenne Santa Fe
Jan 40°/18°F (4.2°/-7.8°C) 43°/19°F (5.9°/-7.4°C)
Feb 40°/19°F (4.7°/-7.4°C) 47°/21°F (8.3°/-6.2°C)
Mar 47°/24°F (8.6°/-4.2°C) 54°/27°F (12.3°/-2.6°C)
Apr 55°/31°F (12.7°/-0.7°C) 63°/33°F (17.4°/0.6°C)
May 65°/40°F (18.2°/4.6°C) 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.3°C)
Jun 75°/49°F (24.1°/9.4°C) 83°/52°F (28.3°/11.2°C)
Jul 83°/56°F (28.6°/13.1°C) 85°/56°F (29.6°/13.4°C)
Aug 81°/54°F (27.3°/12.3°C) 83°/55°F (28.1°/12.8°C)
Sep 72°/45°F (22.1°/7.1°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/9.1°C)
Oct 59°/34°F (14.9°/1.1°C) 65°/38°F (18.6°/3.1°C)
Nov 47°/24°F (8.1°/-4.3°C) 53°/28°F (11.6°/-2.5°C)
Dec 38°/17°F (3.4°/-8.2°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 Wyoming?

On average New Mexico is about 3% less expensive than Wyoming, with major cities narrowing the gap.

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

Budget about $18,106 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?

Wyoming performs better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in New Mexico compared to Wyoming?

New Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wyoming leads in diabetes rate.

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

The average high temperature in Santa Fe is 64°F, compared to 58°F in Cheyenne. Santa Fe receives around 15.7 in of rainfall per year, while Cheyenne gets 15.9 in.

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