CICostIndexUSA

Bowling Green, KY vs Las Cruces, NM Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostKY
Bowling Green
90.2
overall index
$1,275/mo rent
NM
Las Cruces
90.2
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Bowling Green and Las Cruces have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing0.6%
Bowling Green
63.4
Las Cruces
63
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Bowling Green
96.2
Las Cruces
96.1
🚗 Transportation+1.8%
Bowling Green
101.7
Las Cruces
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+1.7%
Bowling Green
92
Las Cruces
93.6
Utilities+3.6%
Bowling Green
75.2
Las Cruces
77.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bowling Green to see what you'd need to earn in Las Cruces to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Las Cruces, NM
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (90.2 ÷ 90.2) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bowling Green, KY

Median Home Price
$266,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
63.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Las Cruces, NM

Median Home Price
$289,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
63
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.6×

Bowling Green has 0.6% lower housing costs compared to Las Cruces.

Income & Job Market

Bowling Green, KY

Median Household Income
$65,900
Per Capita Income
$37,600
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
72,294
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareEducationRetailAutomotive

Las Cruces, NM

Median Household Income
$61,200
Per Capita Income
$34,900
Unemployment Rate
6%
Population
111,385
Top Industries
EducationGovernmentHealthcareMilitaryRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Bowling Green, KY
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Las Cruces, NM
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

72% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.