Cost of Living

The RREDC participates in the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association (ACCRA) Cost of Living Index (COLI). The COLI is based upon a multitude of items and produces an index that can be compared against other participating cities across the United States. Participating organizations price study items during specific periods of time and according to ACCRA specifications. The U.S. COLI base is 100 and Rio Rancho’s annual average for 2008 was 97.6. The following table compares COLI’s for selected cities for the same quarter:

Cost of Living Index

City Composite Grocery Housing Utility Trans. Health
Albuquerque * * * * * * *
Austin 95 90.6 84.4 111 99.5 99.8 99.2
Dallas 91.9 96.3 69.6 105 102.3 103.1 100.9
Denver 103.4 99.5 108.8 102 95.4 103 103.7
El Paso 90.2 100.9 82.7 86.2 98 97.9 89.9
Houston 91.9 85.8 81.5 95.4 98.7 93.9 99.9
Reno-Sparks 100.5 105.3 99.9 91.6 105.6 102 99.8
Oakland 138.5 115 200.5 94.5 108.9 117.2 119.6
Oklahoma City 92.6 94.6 85.7 89.1 90.9 98.5 99.2
Rio Rancho 95.2 92.2 90.6 90.9 94.2 100 101.7
San Antonio 96.2 85 95.6 81.3 97 96.3 105.6
San Jose 153.5 114.3 253.5 137.9 111.5 118.5 103.8
San Francisco 162.5 110.5 275.3 94.9 109.4 116.3 128.3
Tucson 97 98.1 93.4 86.5 105 99.1 99.9

For more information, see the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association web site located at www.accra.org.