The cost of living in El Paso ranks consistently below the national average. Fuel bills are low due to the short and relatively mild winters. Summers are warm but dry, and most homes have economical water cooled (evaporative) air conditioning. The First Quarter of 2008 reflects El Paso at 92.2% of the national average. The following table provides comparisons between El Paso and other U.S. cities:

	All Items	Food	Housing	Utilities	Transport-ation	Health	Misc. Goods & Services
MSA/PMSA Urban Area and Site	100%	12.49%	29.84%	9.94%	10.73%	4.07%	32.93%
El Paso, TX	92.2	107.4	83.8	92.9	94.9	99.6	91.9
Albuquerque, NM	95.5	93.5	97.7	88.2	95.2	97.6	96.3
San Diego, CA	139.4	112.7	216.5	94.6	109.6	114.1	106.0
Indianapolis, IN	94.2	93.7	94.5	88.4	102.6	99.9	92.4
Charlotte, NC	94.7	101.2	79.9	94.5	99.6	111.3	102.0
Myrtle Beach, SC	92.8	101.1	81.1	85.8	99.2	99.0	99.7
Cincinnati, OH	91.6	87.9	82.8	104.0	99.1	91.3	94.9
Dallas, TX	91.9	100.6	72.1	99.1	100.6	103.0	100.0
Denver, CO	105.1	104.7	111.4	103.4	92.8	104.0	104.2
Las Cruces, NM	104.0	103.1	110.1	105.1	98.3	99.3	101.0
Louisville, KY	93.6	83.6	87.0	113.8	93.9	92.2	97.3
Colorado Springs, CO	92.1	95.2	90.2	87.9	95.4	105.7	91.2
Nashville, TN	93.0	96.7	73.5	88.2	103.6	105.0	105.7
Phoenix, AZ	101.6	103.8	101.0	94.7	98.7	99.0	104.7
San Antonio, TX	88.7	83.7	78.2	83.7	97.3	98.3	97.7
Tucson, AZ	99.8	103.7	96.5	96.2	98.9	101.5	102.5