States › New Mexico › Carlsbad

Is Carlsbad, NM expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 16 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,05040% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$77,982about $6,499/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$200,00040% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 85% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $42,000 a year. That is $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other New Mexico cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of New Mexico. It is number 15 of 44 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Carlsbad
$1,050
Alamogordo
$1,225
South Valley
$939
Clovis
$1,061
Hobbs
$1,242
Farmington
$1,154
Roswell
$971

How much do households earn in Carlsbad?

Under $25k
14.7%
$25k–50k
20.8%
$50k–100k
29.5%
$100k–150k
18.3%
$150k+
10.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 28.8% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Carlsbad

SizeCarlsbadU.S. average
Studio$720$1,338
1 bedroom$1,281$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,360$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,367$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,322$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Carlsbad overall?

Everyday prices in New Mexico overall are 8% below the U.S. average (index 92.2, U.S. = 100).

Housing
74
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
78
Other services
99
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Carlsbad, so the New Mexico figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Carlsbad

🏛️ Property tax$1,066a year · 0.53% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$155a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Carlsbad

Commute to work22.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home70.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line13.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carlsbad?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $338 a month less.

Renting
$1,050
Owning
$1,388

Owning assumes a typical $200,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $20,000 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Carlsbad, NM?

Renting in Carlsbad costs a median of about $1,050 a month in 2026, including utilities. The New Mexico median is $1,181.

How much do I need to make to live in Carlsbad?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $42,000 a year, or $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Carlsbad cheap or expensive?

Carlsbad is rated Cheap: rent takes 16.2% of the typical household income of $77,982. It ranks 15th cheapest of 44 New Mexico cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Carlsbad?

The median homeowner in Carlsbad pays $1,066 a year in property taxes, about 0.53% of the median home value.

Is Carlsbad more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in New Mexico are 8% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Carlsbad?

The median home value in Carlsbad is $200,000, about 2.6 times the typical yearly household income.

31,746 people live in Carlsbad. Numbers are typical (middle) values.