Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Cruces, NM and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Cruces, NM: $2,067 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Las Cruces, NM
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Las Cruces, NM Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,067

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Las Cruces, NM and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Las Cruces, NM and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Las Cruces, NM $2,067
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Las Cruces, NM versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Las Cruces, NM $3,132
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,196 in Las Cruces, NM versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Las Cruces, NM $4,196
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Las Cruces, NM costs roughly 23% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Las Cruces, NM 53% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 $17.34

$20.63 $20.63

-15.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.20 $45.20

$84.6 $84.6

-46.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.07 $12.07

0.66%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.48 $5.48

5.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.80 $3.80

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.47 $2.47

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 $6.31

$8.05 $8.05

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$8.88 $8.88

2.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.11 $1.11

-30.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.72 $3.72

-3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.37 $3.37

11.57%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$4.32 $4.32

9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$13.13 $13.13

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 $12.04

$14.15 $14.15

-14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$16.33 $16.33

7.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.55 $4.55

-3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.46 $1.46

44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.71 $4.71

-28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.15 $4.15

-6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.58 $2.58

-8.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.35 $2.35

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.77 $1.77

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.14 $2.14

-14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$10.10 $10.10

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$15.19 $15.19

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.82 $2.82

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.44 $3.44

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.54 $1.54

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.50 $38.50

$40.99 $40.99

-6.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.80 $2.80

-16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.60 $1.60

45.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.94 $0.94

4.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K $27.8K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-10.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$176 $176

$223 $223

-20.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.0 $57.0

$58.9 $58.9

-3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$70.6 $70.6

23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$57.7 $57.7

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 $10.89

$16.53 $16.53

-34.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$14.26 $14.26

-29.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$683 $683

$1,511 $1,511

-54.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 $58.2

$51.3 $51.3

13.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.55 $31.55

$44.17 $44.17

-28.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 $84.7

$87.0 $87.0

-2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$104 $104

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 $966

$1,940 $1,940

-50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 $794

$1,316 $1,316

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$3,664 $3,664

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 $1,532

$2,565 $2,565

-40.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,121 $2,121

$7,354 $7,354

-71.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,971 $1,971

$3,129 $3,129

-37.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,589 $3,589

$5,286 $5,286

-32.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.79

-6.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Las Cruces, NM: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Las Cruces, NM

$794 38.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 65.7% $522

Groceries & Markets

Las Cruces, NM

$389 18.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 4.4% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Las Cruces, NM

$320 15.5%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 9.9% $32

Eating Out

Las Cruces, NM

$313 15.1%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 12% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Las Cruces, NM

$124 6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 3.8% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Las Cruces, NM

$70 3.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.6% $16

Getting Around

Las Cruces, NM

$56 2.7%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 2.7% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Las Cruces, NM and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Las Cruces, NM vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $406 per month, with Las Cruces, NM cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

18:16 6:16 PM

1 h ahead of Las Cruces, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,385

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Las Cruces, NM Austin, TX 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Las Cruces, NM
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Las Cruces, NM vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Las Cruces, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Las Cruces, NM the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $966 in Las Cruces, NM versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,067 per month in Las Cruces, NM versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Las Cruces, NM runs roughly 6% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Las Cruces, NM but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Las Cruces, NM the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Las Cruces, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.