Rio Rancho, NM Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Rio Rancho, NM Summary

Cost of living in Rio Rancho research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Rio Rancho is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Mexico, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Rio Rancho is 103, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rio Rancho is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Rio Rancho ranks as the #38 cheapest in New Mexico out of 45.

  • Rio Rancho ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rio Rancho is $355,185.

  • The median income in Rio Rancho is $85,755.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
Rio Rancho's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rio Rancho, NM?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rio Rancho has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Mexico, Rio Rancho has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Mexico's index of 95.

The standard of living in Rio Rancho ranks as #38 most affordable out of the 45 places we measured in New Mexico. By definition, that implies Rio Rancho ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Land of Enchantment.

For more reading on life in Rio Rancho, check out:

38 out of 45
In New Mexico
2,952 out of 6,489
In America

Rio Rancho Cost Of Living Vs. New Mexico

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rio Rancho. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Rio Rancho is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Rio Rancho is 98.

  • The Health index in Rio Rancho is 97.

  • The Housing index in Rio Rancho is 115.

  • The Transportation index in Rio Rancho is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Rio Rancho is 97.

Living Expense Rio Rancho New Mexico National Average
Overall 103 95 100
Services 101 96 100
Groceries 98 96 100
Health 97 95 100
Housing 115 87 100
Transportation 95 93 100
Utilities 97 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Mexico, check out:
Rio Rancho Cost of Living Vs. NM

Rio Rancho, NM Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Mexico, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Rio Rancho is $355,185.

  • The Median Rent in Rio Rancho is $1,481.

  • The Median Income in Rio Rancho is $85,755.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rio Rancho is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rio Rancho is 0.21x.

Statistic Rio Rancho New Mexico United States
Median Home Value $355,185 $311,815 $303,400
Median Rent $1,481 $1,021 $1,348
Median Income $85,755 $62,125 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 5.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$355,185
Median Home Value
$1,481
Median Rent
$85,755
Median Income

Rio Rancho, NM Costs By Category

Detailed Rio Rancho Services Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Rio Rancho New Mexico
Shampoo $1.15 $1.28
Movie $12.54 $12.13
Bowling $20.89 $18
Haircut $31.9 $24.26
Beauty Salon $50.83 $45.56

Detailed Rio Rancho Groceries Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Rio Rancho New Mexico
Ground Beef $5.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.32 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.18 $4.93
Pizza $13.42 $12.09
Beer $11.07 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Rio Rancho Health Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Rio Rancho New Mexico
Optometrist $136.89 $125.68
Doctor $134.17 $135.78
Dentist $111.42 $113.29

Detailed Rio Rancho Transportation Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Rio Rancho New Mexico
Gasoline $3.5 $3.46
Tire Balancing $43.87 $59.92

Detailed Rio Rancho Utilities Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Rio Rancho New Mexico
All Electricity $191.24 $193.99
Phone $190.51 $192.25

Rio Rancho SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rio Rancho

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rio Rancho. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Albuquerque, NM has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Rio Rancho.

  • South Valley, NM has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Rio Rancho.

  • North Valley, NM has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x Rio Rancho.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rio Rancho
Albuquerque, NM 562,488 99 1.0x
South Valley, NM 36,605 93 0.9x
North Valley, NM 11,474 98 1.0x
Bernalillo, NM 9,068 95 0.9x
Corrales, NM 8,557 129 1.3x
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 5,869 127 1.2x

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