New Mexico energy rates pre-filled from EIA. Estimate your heating cost below, and see the assumptions behind every figure.
Electricity: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026. That is a single month, not a 2026 annual average — annual state figures are not published until the following year. Natural gas: EIA Natural Gas Monthly residential price, winter average, Dec 2025 – Feb 2026, converted to $/therm. The gas figure for New Mexico is a fallback, not a measurement: EIA withheld this state's winter residential price, so the US average of $1.44/therm is shown in its place. Treat every gas number on this page as indicative only. “Lowest running cost” is a calculation from those rates, not a survey of what people own: it is whichever system delivers a unit of heat for the least money in New Mexico, comparing a heat pump at a seasonal COP of 2.8 against a 92% AFUE gas furnace. Rates vary by provider and season.
New Mexico averages 36.1°F in winter. With cool winters (avg 36.1°F) and delivered-heat costs within 5% of each other, a dual-fuel system that switches between heat pump and gas backup is the most economical setup.
Heat pump and gas furnace running costs sit within 5% of each other in New Mexico ($0.0148 vs $0.0156 per 1,000 BTU delivered), so a dual-fuel system that switches to gas on the coldest days is the most economical setup here.
New Mexico electricity costs 14.12¢/kWh, about 23% below the US average of 18.44¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), which makes electric heating comparatively affordable here.
Compare New Mexico against other states using our heating cost by state index, or use our free heating cost calculator to estimate your monthly spend.
Based on New Mexico EIA rates: 14.12¢/kWh electricity (May 2026), $1.44/therm gas (estimated — EIA withheld this state’s figure).
| Heater Type | Small Home | Medium Home | Large Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Resistance | ~$258/mo | ~$431/mo | ~$646/mo |
| Gas Furnace (92% AFUE) | ~$97/mo | ~$162/mo | ~$244/mo |
| Heat Pump (COP 2.8) | ~$92/mo | ~$154/mo | ~$231/mo |
How these are worked out. Whole-home heating for a full winter month, not a plug-in heater. We take New Mexico's 36.1°F average winter temperature, which gives about 867 heating degree days in a 30-day month against a 65°F base, and multiply by a heat-loss coefficient of 300 (small, ~1,000 sq ft), 500 (medium, ~2,000 sq ft) or 750 BTU/hr/°F (large, ~3,000 sq ft) for an average-insulated home. That delivered heat is then priced at the rates above, at the efficiencies shown in each row. Those coefficients are round engineering figures, not measurements — they exist so every page on this site derives monthly cost the same way. A poorly sealed house can easily run double these numbers.
Figures above are calculated from EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (May 2026) and EIA residential natural gas prices, using a seasonal COP of 2.8 for a heat pump in New Mexico's climate and 92% AFUE for a modern condensing gas furnace. EIA withheld New Mexico's winter residential gas price, so the US average was used in its place — the gas figures here are indicative, not measured.