Rhode Island to New Mexico Moving Guide
Updated June 11, 2025

Planning a 2,064 mile interstate move from Rhode Island to New Mexico? This moving guide will help you compare living in Rhode Island vs New Mexico across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like harsh winter storms vs mild winters), food & health (like Stuffies (Stuffed Clams) vs New Mexico Green Chile), real estate & housing (colonial, cape cod vs pueblo, territorial), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Rhode Island), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Stuffies (Stuffed Clams) and Clam Cakes, but get your taste buds ready for New Mexico Green Chile & Carne Adovada
- New Mexico housing costs are 34% less expensive than they are in Rhode Island
- Rent in New Mexico is 34.56% more affordable than in Rhode Island
- Moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico will cost on average between $2,500 - $8,500
- Our top recommended Rhode Island to New Mexico movers is JP Moving
Rhode Island to New Mexico Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico
- Harsh winter storms
- High cost of living
- Limited outdoor land
- Mild winters
- More affordable homes
- Vast open spaces
- Landlocked state
- Fewer historical sites
- Less seasonal variety
- Coastal activities
- Historic charm
- Varied seasons
Pros of moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico
- Say goodbye to harsh winter storms and hello to mild winters
- Look forward to moving away from the high cost of living and moving to New Mexico with more affordable homes
- Swap the limited outdoor land of Rhode Island for vast open spaces in New Mexico
- Get ready for the beauty of the Southwest in New Mexico
Cons of moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from coastal activities in Rhode Island to live in a landlocked state in New Mexico
- You'll lose out on the pro of historic charm and have to settle for the con of fewer historical sites
- Time to bid farewell to varied seasons and get used to less seasonal variety in New Mexico
- Swap the coastal lifestyle for the landlocked experience
Rhode Island vs. New Mexico: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Stuffies (Stuffed Clams) | New Mexico Green Chile |
Most popular meat dish | Clam Cakes | Carne Adovada |
Most popular street food item | Hot Wieners | Breakfast Burrito |
Most popular vegan food | Grilled Pizza | Blue Corn Pancakes |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico, you will be trading the iconic Stuffies (Stuffed Clams) of Rhode Island for the equally delicious New Mexico Green Chile of New Mexico. And while the locals in Rhode Island rave about their flavorful Clam Cakes and sumptuous Hot Wieners, New Mexico residents know they have tasty Carne Adovada and Breakfast Burrito to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Grilled Pizza they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Blue Corn Pancakes of New Mexico. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Rhode Island eateries like Al Forno Restaurant, The Modern Bistro, and Waterman Grille. After the boxes are unpacked in New Mexico, don't wait too long before making your way to New Mexico's acclaimed eateries like Frontier Restaurant, El Modelo Mexican Foods, and Sadie's of New Mexico.
When comparing lifestyles, New Mexico shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Rhode Island. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New Mexico compared to what you are used to in Rhode Island. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in New Mexico.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Rhode Island and New Mexico
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Cape Cod | Pueblo, Territorial |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Waterfront, Historic Charm | Mountain Views, Adobe style |
- The Colonial and Cape Cod architecture that Rhode Island is known for will be replaced with the Pueblo and Territorial architecture typical of New Mexico.
- Compared to Rhode Island's real estate listings that commonly reference waterfront and historic charm, New Mexico real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and adobe style.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; New Mexico is less walkable than Rhode Island.
- New Mexico is similarly bike-friendly to Rhode Island.
- New Mexico has less of an urban feel than Rhode Island.
- New Mexico housing costs are 34% less expensive than they are in Rhode Island, with a median home price of $300,227 compared to Rhode Islandβs $451,868.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New Mexico have increased 56% compared to a 55% increase in Rhode Island.
- Rent in New Mexico is 34.56% more affordable than in Rhode Island.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Rhode Island and New Mexico
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Snowstorms | Wildfires, Flooding |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 82Β°F/63Β°F | 92Β°F/64Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40Β°F/20Β°F | 50Β°F/23Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 50" | 14" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 35" | 22" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Rhode Island to New Mexico. New Mexico gets 39% more sunshine days than Rhode Island.
- New Mexico has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Rhode Island.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and snowstorms in Rhode Island, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and flooding in New Mexico.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in New Mexico is 10 degrees warmer than in Rhode Island.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in Rhode Island.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in New Mexico. New Mexico receives 36 fewer inches of rain compared to Rhode Island.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Rhode Island and New Mexico
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $81,854 | $59,726 |
Cost of Living Index | 123.3 | 96.45 |
State Income Tax | 3.75 - 5.99% | 1.7 - 5.9% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.63% | 0.78% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7% | 7.83% |
Top 3 Industries | Healthcare, Education, Tourism | Energy, Agriculture, Tourism |
Affluence | Moderate | Mixed |
Poverty | Above Average | High |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New Mexico tend to earn about 27% less than those in Rhode Island
- The COLI in New Mexico is 22% lower than what you are used to living in Rhode Island
- The state income tax in NM is 1.7 - 5.9% compared to 3.75 - 5.99% in RI
- The affluence in New Mexico is mixed compared to moderate affluence in Rhode Island
- The poverty level is high in New Mexico compared to above average in Rhode Island
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Rhode Island and moderate in New Mexico
Political and Religious Climate in Rhode Island vs. New Mexico
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democratic-leaning | Democratic-leaning |
Local Politics | Liberal urban areas, more conservative rural | Mix of conservative and liberal, varies by region |
Religion | <a href="https://www.providencejournal.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Predominantly Catholic, diverse religious communities</a> | Spiritually diverse, with Catholic, Native American spiritual traditions |
- Rhode Island tends to lean Democratic in its political climate
- New Mexico, on the other hand, is often described as Democratic-leaning
- New Mexico's religious environment can be described as spiritually diverse, with Catholic and Native American spiritual traditions
- Rhode Island's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as <a href="https://www.providencejournal.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">predominantly Catholic and diverse religious communities</a>
Education Guide When Moving from Rhode Island to New Mexico
Comparison | Rhode Island | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Rhode Island Brown University Rhode Island College | University of New Mexico New Mexico State University Eastern New Mexico University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Rockwell Elementary (Bristol) Nayatt School (Barrington) Community School (Cumberland) | Double Eagle Elementary (Albuquerque) Wood Gormley Elementary (Santa Fe) Georgia O'Keeffe Elementary (Albuquerque) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Barrington Middle (Barrington) Wickford Middle (North Kingstown) Portsmouth Middle (Portsmouth) | Desert Ridge Middle (Albuquerque) Lincoln Middle (Rio Rancho) Sidney Gutierrez Middle (Roswell) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Classical High (Providence) Barrington High (Barrington) East Greenwich High (East Greenwich) | La Cueva High (Albuquerque) Rio Rancho High (Rio Rancho) Desert Academy (Santa Fe) |
Top 3 private high schools | Moses Brown School (Providence) St. George's School (Middletown) Wheeler School (Providence) | Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque) Sandia Preparatory School (Albuquerque) Bosque School (Albuquerque) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Wheeler School (Providence) St. George's School (Middletown) Moses Brown School (Providence) | Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque) Sandia Preparatory School (Albuquerque) Bosque School (Albuquerque) |
Top 3 School Districts | Barrington School District East Greenwich School District Cumberland School District | Los Alamos Public Schools Rio Rancho Public Schools Farmington Municipal Schools |
How Much Do Rhode Island to New Mexico Movers Cost?
Moving 2,064 miles from Rhode Island to New Mexico will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $8,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-2 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: JP Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,373 | 300 ft3 | $7.91 |
1 Bedroom | $3,536 | 450 ft3 | $7.86 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,857 | 750 ft3 | $7.81 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,535 | 1100 ft3 | $7.76 |
4 Bedrooms | $12,334 | 1600 ft3 | $7.71 |
5+ Bedrooms | $13,786 | 1800 ft3 | $7.66 |
Top Rhode Island to New Mexico Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Rhode Island to New Mexico movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.