A+
4%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
10%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Bernalillo New Mexico National
Cost of living9693100
Goods & Services10499100
Groceries9897100
Health care108112100
Housing9085100
Transportation9493100
Utilities8583100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Bernalillo, NM

The cost of living in Bernalillo affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Bernalillo is 96, which is 4% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Everyday expenditures like food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care in Bernalillo are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Bernalillo can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.

Is Bernalillo Affordable?

Is Bernalillo an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Bernalillo, the median home price is 7.7% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 16.8% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Bernalillo come in at $75,686, which is 6.9% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Bernalillo?

Transportation: In cities with limited or no public transportation, residents may find it necessary to own and maintain vehicles, thereby elevating the cost of living. Monthly expenditures include fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potential lease or financing commitments. In Bernalillo, the transportation index stands at 5.9% lower than the national average.

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Bernalillo, the general sales tax rate starts at 5%, and income tax rates begin at 1.7%.

Where is the Data From?

The Bernalillo cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Bernalillo is 3% higher than the New Mexico average
  • The cost of living in Bernalillo is 4% lower than the national average
  • Bernalillo housing is 10% lower than the national average
  • New Mexico general sales tax is 2% lower than the national average
  • New Mexico state income tax is 35% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Bernalillo

See all the best places to live around Bernalillo

Compare Bernalillo, NM Cost of Living

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      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$89,514$7,460$2,089$2,686
      Renters$41,380$3,448$965$1,242
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Bernalillo, NM, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Bernalillo, the median monthly income is $89,514 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,089 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $41,380, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $965 on monthly rental expenses.

      New Mexico Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New Mexico 5% 8.688%

      New Mexico Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New Mexico 1.7% 5.9%

      Goods & Services

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      Haircut $36.08$27.6230.6%
      Beauty Salon $51.64$51.111.0%
      Toothpaste $4.00$4.092.3%
      Shampoo $1.36$1.5411.8%
      Movie $12.15$12.885.7%
      Yoga $19.42$19.661.2%

      Groceries

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.29$7.707.6%
      Fried Chicken $1.46$1.6612.2%
      Milk $4.65$4.731.8%
      Potatoes $4.96$5.265.6%
      Pizza $13.64$12.766.9%
      Beer $10.58$10.550.3%

      Health Care

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $173.61$140.0624.0%
      Doctor $145.18$153.825.6%
      Dentist $107.62$123.1512.6%
      Ibuprofen $11.73$11.730.0%
      Lipitor $35.21$23.6149.1%

      Housing

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      Home Price $301,579.00$326,622.007.7%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,169.16$2,480.2512.5%
      Apartment Rent $1,202.00$1,444.0016.8%

      Transportation

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.00$3.061.8%
      Tire Balancing $55.00$65.2115.7%

      Utilities

      Item Bernalillo National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $167.22$220.1224.0%
      Phone $193.43$195.711.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      San Antonito CDP (Socorro County), NM34991.2%
      Placitas CDP (Doña Ana County), NM7507920.6%
      Zia Pueblo, NM8768218.5%
      Monterey Park, NM1,1358613.6%
      Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM2,3638910.7%
      Bernalillo, NM10,437963.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Elizabethtown-Kitley, ON10,437n/a 
      Ponoka County, AB10,437n/a 
      Fairmont, MN10,438918.9%
      Whitecourt, AB10,433n/a 
      Shasta Lake, CA10,44311515.1%
      Bernalillo, NM10,437963.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.