The El Paso Cost-of-Living Index tool benchmarks the cost of living in El Paso, Texas against the US national average of 100, using El Paso’s composite index of about 84 — roughly 16% below average. It breaks the score into housing, groceries, transportation, utilities, and healthcare, and converts a salary from another city into the income you would need in El Paso to keep the same purchasing power. It is for people considering a move, comparing job offers, or judging whether a relocation package is fair.
How it works
A cost-of-living index is normalized so the US average equals 100. El Paso’s composite is 84, meaning a basket of typical expenses costs about 16% less than in the average US city. To compare two places and convert a salary, the tool uses:
equivalent salary = current salary x (El Paso index / current city index)
cost difference % = (El Paso index / current city index - 1) x 100So someone earning $90,000 in a city at index 130 needs about 90,000 x 84/130 = $58,154 in El Paso to live equivalently — a 35% lower salary that buys the same lifestyle because costs are lower. The category indexes let you see why: housing is the largest driver of El Paso’s affordability, while healthcare and groceries sit closer to the national average.
Category breakdown and notes
| Category | El Paso index | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 70 | much cheaper |
| Groceries | 92 | slightly cheaper |
| Transportation | 90 | cheaper |
| Utilities | 96 | near average |
| Healthcare | 95 | near average |
| Composite | 84 | 16% below average |
- Indexes are approximate benchmarks for planning, not exact local prices — actual costs vary by neighborhood and lifestyle.
- A lower index often comes with lower local wages, so always compare purchasing power, not just the headline salary.
- All math runs in your browser; nothing you enter is uploaded.