Cost of living in South Valley 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 South Valley 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 South Valley is 93, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Valley is 0.9x lower than the national average.
South Valley ranks as the #25 cheapest in New Mexico out of 45.
South Valley ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in South Valley is $275,558.
The median income in South Valley is $51,062.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Valley has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Mexico, South Valley has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than New Mexico's index of 95.
The standard of living in South Valley ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 45 places we measured in New Mexico. By definition, that implies South Valley ranks as the #20 most expensive place in the Land of Enchantment.
For more reading on life in South Valley, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Valley. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Valley is 101.
The Groceries index in South Valley is 95.
The Health index in South Valley is 97.
The Housing index in South Valley is 81.
The Transportation index in South Valley is 92.
The Utilities index in South Valley is 100.
| Living Expense | South Valley | New Mexico | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 96 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 81 | 87 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 100 | 89 | 100 | |
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 South Valley is $275,558.
The Median Rent in South Valley is $942.
The Median Income in South Valley is $51,062.
The Home Value To Income in South Valley is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Valley is 0.22x.
| Statistic | South Valley | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $275,558 | $311,815 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $942 | $1,021 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $51,062 | $62,125 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 5.0x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | South Valley | 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 |
| Item | South Valley | 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 |
| Item | South Valley | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $136.89 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $134.17 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $111.42 | $113.29 |
| Item | South Valley | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.5 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $43.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | South Valley | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $191.24 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.51 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Valley. 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, 1.1x South Valley.
Rio Rancho, NM has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x South Valley.
Los Lunas, NM has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x South Valley.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Valley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 562,488 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Rio Rancho, NM | 106,533 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Los Lunas, NM | 17,932 | 96 | 1.0x |
| North Valley, NM | 11,474 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM | 5,869 | 127 | 1.4x |