Las Cruces, NM vs Surrey
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
Las Cruces, NM is approximately 51% less expensive than Surrey based on cost of living including rent. This makes Las Cruces, NM a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Las Cruces, NM has a FIRE Score of 77/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 58.1, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Las Cruces, NM is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
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Best in rowUnited States
Las Cruces, NM
Canada
Surrey
Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.
About these cities
About Las Cruces, NM
Las Cruces is a genuinely affordable small city where a single adult can live on a budget tier of $1,067/mo and still rent a one-bedroom outside the center for $793/mo. The tradeoff is that you are in a 113 thousand person desert town at 1191 m, with an arid climate, an air quality index of 52, and a nearest airport 15 km away at LRU. Salaries are modest at $3,674/mo net, but with rent this cheap and a safety index of 75, the math works better here than in most US cities. It suits remote workers and retirees who want low costs and quiet over big-city energy.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
Las Cruces, NM costs roughly 2.1x less than Surrey. Surrey has significantly faster average internet speeds (120 Mbps vs 65 Mbps). Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Las Cruces, NM is approximately 51% less expensive than Surrey based on cost of living including rent. This makes Las Cruces, NM a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Las Cruces, NM has a FIRE Score of 77/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 58.1, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Las Cruces, NM is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
Las Cruces, NM
United StatesAbout Las Cruces, NM
Las Cruces is a genuinely affordable small city where a single adult can live on a budget tier of $1,067/mo and still rent a one-bedroom outside the center for $793/mo. The tradeoff is that you are in a 113 thousand person desert town at 1191 m, with an arid climate, an air quality index of 52, and a nearest airport 15 km away at LRU. Salaries are modest at $3,674/mo net, but with rent this cheap and a safety index of 75, the math works better here than in most US cities. It suits remote workers and retirees who want low costs and quiet over big-city energy.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
$1,277/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Surrey
Surrey is a solid pick if you want big-city access without Vancouver prices, with a 1-bedroom outside the centre at $1,047/mo and a monthly public transport pass at $107/mo. The catch is wages: an average monthly net salary of $3,032/mo against a mid-range single budget of $4,200/mo means plenty of expats are quietly subsidising the lifestyle. Safety is genuinely strong at a crime index of 15/100 and healthcare quality is excellent, so families and retirees get real value. Just don't expect the salary to stretch as far as the rent suggests.
About Canada
Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.
$1,029/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | Las Cruces, NM | Surrey |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $870.14 | $1316.83 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $792.8 | $1047.39 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1549.71 | $2677.5 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $1523.6 | $2109.39 |
| Safety Index | 58.1 | 35.81 |
| Internet Speed | 65Mbps | 120Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Las Cruces, NM | Surrey |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $1,705/mo | $1,953/mo |
| Excluding rent | $912/mo | $906/mo |
| Rent | $793/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Groceries | $257/mo | $235/mo |
| Dining out | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $121/mo | $106/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $320/mo | $283/mo |
| Transport | $39.00/mo | $107/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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