Is $24,000 a good salary in New Mexico?

$24,000 in New Mexico provides a monthly take-home of approximately $1,701 after taxes. Across major New Mexico cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-310.

What is the cost of living on $24,000 in New Mexico?

The average monthly living cost across major New Mexico cities is approximately $2,011 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $24,000 take-home pay of $1,701/month, you would have roughly $-310/month remaining.

Living in New Mexico · 2026

Is $24,000 enough to live in New Mexico?

Single adult · NM · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$1,701

Avg monthly expenses

$2,011

Avg monthly surplus

$-310

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in New Mexico

Gross salary$24,000

Federal income tax− $850

State income tax− $897

Social Security− $1,488

Medicare− $348

Annual take-home$20,417

Effective tax rate14.93%

How $24,000 feels in New Mexico cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Albuquerque

COL index: 0.94× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,150

Food

$418

Transport

$165

Utilities

$155

Healthcare

$188

Total: $2,076/mo

Surplus: $-375/mo

Rent burden: 67.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Albuquerque analysis →

Las Cruces

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,000

Food

$387

Transport

$154

Utilities

$145

Healthcare

$176

Total: $1,862/mo

Surplus: $-161/mo

Rent burden: 58.8% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Las Cruces analysis →

Rio Rancho

COL index: 0.98× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,200

Food

$418

Transport

$172

Utilities

$162

Healthcare

$196

Total: $2,148/mo

Surplus: $-447/mo

Rent burden: 70.5% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Rio Rancho analysis →

Santa Fe

COL index: 1.13× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,500

Food

$484

Transport

$198

Utilities

$186

Healthcare

$226

Total: $2,594/mo

Surplus: $-893/mo

Rent burden: 88.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Santa Fe analysis →

Roswell

COL index: 0.80× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$850

Food

$374

Transport

$140

Utilities

$132

Healthcare

$160

Total: $1,656/mo

Surplus: $45/mo

Rent burden: 50.0% — High (35–50%)

Full Roswell analysis →

Farmington

COL index: 0.83× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$900

Food

$383

Transport

$145

Utilities

$137

Healthcare

$166

Total: $1,731/mo

Surplus: $-30/mo

Rent burden: 52.9% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Farmington analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,701 ($20,412/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$851

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$510

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$340

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$10,206

Wants / year

$6,124

Savings / year

$4,082

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Albuquerque

Rent alone would take 68% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $46,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.1/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $24,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $375, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Albuquerque is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 0.94). $24,000 here is roughly equivalent to $47,234 in San Francisco or $22,468 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$24,000 is 28% below the New Mexico individual median of $33,400. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$33,400

-28%

State household median

$57,742

-58%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$24,000 vs. New Mexico income benchmarks

Individual median (New Mexico)

$33,400

-28% vs. this salary

Household median (New Mexico)

$57,742

-58% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in New Mexico

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.