San Marcos, TX vs Rio Rancho, NM: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Rio Rancho, NM has a modeled overall cost index 5.1% lower than San Marcos, TX.

San Marcos, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $1,480 / month
Rio Rancho, NM · modeled 2BR rent: $1,750 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare San Marcos, TX and Rio Rancho, NM using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in San Marcos, TX

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $393/month in Rio Rancho, NM

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,282 in Rio Rancho, NM

Regional cost estimates: San Marcos, TX uses Austin, TX. Rio Rancho, NM uses Albuquerque, NM. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 5.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$393

Savings

Annual Impact

$4.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

San Marcos, TX

Population:72K

Cost Index:

96.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$311K

Rio Rancho, NM

Population:111K

Cost Index:

91.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$342K

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San Marcos, TX

The Lone Star State

72K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Texas, this city has a population of 72K residents.

💡 Advantage: Texas has no state income tax!

Rio Rancho, NM

The Land of Enchantment

111K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Mexico, this city has a population of 111K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: San Marcos, TX vs Rio Rancho, NM

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	San Marcos, TX	Rio Rancho, NM	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,503/mo	$2,042/mo	↓ $462less	18.4%
Transportation	$1,238/mo	$1,328/mo	↑ $89.75more	7.2%
Healthcare	$586/mo	$551/mo	↓ $35.45less	6.0%
Other	$1,679/mo	$1,710/mo	↑ $31.60more	1.9%
All Utilities	$539/mo	$508/mo	↓ $30.95less	5.7%
Groceries	$955/mo	$969/mo	↑ $13.62more	1.4%

Housing

↓ 18.4%

San Marcos, TX

$2,503

Rio Rancho, NM

$2,042

Difference

$462

less

Transportation

↑ 7.2%

San Marcos, TX

$1,238

Rio Rancho, NM

$1,328

Difference

$89.75

Healthcare

↓ 6.0%

San Marcos, TX

$586

Rio Rancho, NM

$551

Difference

$35.45

less

Other

↑ 1.9%

San Marcos, TX

$1,679

Rio Rancho, NM

$1,710

Difference

$31.60

All Utilities

↓ 5.7%

San Marcos, TX

$539

Rio Rancho, NM

$508

Difference

$30.95

less

Groceries

↑ 1.4%

San Marcos, TX

$955

Rio Rancho, NM

$969

Difference

$13.62

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,170

To$1,210

↑ $40.00

1 Bed

From$1,250

To$1,420

↑ $170

2 Bed

From$1,480

To$1,750

↑ $270

3 Bed

From$1,880

To$2,430

↑ $550

San Marcos, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,250–$1,250/mo

Rio Rancho, NMZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,420–$1,420/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in San Marcos, TX

$7,107

Monthly in Rio Rancho, NM

$393

Difference

Home Values

San Marcos

Rio Rancho

$311K

Median Value

$342K

↓ -4.3%

YoY Change

↑ +0.5%

↑ +15.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +44%

Homes in Rio Rancho are 10% more expensive than San Marcos

Calculate payment - San Marcos Calculate payment - Rio Rancho

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$589

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

San Marcos, TX

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Texas State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Rio Rancho, NM

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Mexico State Tax

Effective: 4.7%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,826/month

$105.9K

Additional Tax Information

San Marcos, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

Rio Rancho, NM Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.6%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

San Marcos

Rio Rancho

52 Moderate

Air Quality

61 Moderate

42.6%

Good Air Days

27.3%

98 High

Climate Risk

94 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

98 days

Heat Days >95°F

63 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

98 days

Heat Days >95°F

63 days

Before moving from San Marcos, TX to Rio Rancho, NM

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Rio Rancho, NM for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in San Marcos, TX. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your San Marcos to Rio Rancho moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Rio Rancho, NM by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: San Marcos, TX vs Rio Rancho, NM

How do the cost estimates for San Marcos, TX and Rio Rancho, NM compare?

Rio Rancho, NM has a modeled overall cost index 5.1% lower than San Marcos, TX. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in San Marcos, TX, the model estimates $145,282 in Rio Rancho, NM. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for San Marcos, TX and Rio Rancho, NM?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,480/month in San Marcos, TX and $1,750/month in Rio Rancho, NM. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Texas and New Mexico on TaxTakeHome.com