Differences btw AZ and NM (NOT a which is better, just what is different)

[Deelighted]

When I was researching where I wanted to move, I ended up ruling out NM because from what I could determine the rental prices were higher than in most of AZ. Also the cost of groceries seemed higher in comparison.

[gbpakrfan]

New Mexico taxes Social Security. Arizona doesn't...

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by Giesela

So what are the major differences? Not a one is better or vs. just information on what is different.

General elevation? Specific elevation? Culture? Weather? Economics? Plant and animal life? Things to do and see?
I'm not that familiar with either so I'm wondering.

As a guy who reveres Mexican food of both states, there is a noticeable difference. New Mexican food tends to have locally distinct chili and is more spicy (e.g. red chili enchilada). They also have the blue corn tortillas. The New Mexican food has a different flavor from traditional Mexican food in towns of AZ. New Mexican food also includes local favorites from the Pueblos along the Rio Grande. https://www.tortillaflats.net/mexica...-mexican-food/

But both are great. I just know there are regional differences in "Mexican" food of AZ vs NM. It's part of the southwest culture.

I love going to Twister's after a hike up Sandia Peak. In Phoenix, Macayo's has been a local favorite for many years. NM also tends to have in-state variants of the standard burger with chili. Twister's is local to NM similar to Taco Cabana in Texas.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/twisters-bu...-albuquerque-2

The only problem is that it's best to eat there infrequently because the food is addictive and high in calories.
I only go there after I hike up Sandia Peak - about a 14 mile round trip up a huge local mountain from 6500 feet to about 10678 feet.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/n...o/la-luz-trail

[yukon]

Originally Posted by Deelighted

When I was researching where I wanted to move, I ended up ruling out NM because from what I could determine the rental prices were higher than in most of AZ. Also the cost of groceries seemed higher in comparison.

I just moved to PHX from ABQ. PHX is LOT more expensive, both rent and groceries.

[agorski]

Regarding the Mexican food, New Mexico's brand is unique to the state and very difficult to find elsewhere, but Arizona has its unique Sonoran-style, which is also difficult to find elsewhere. (Cheese crisps, anyone?)

Tucumcari and Santa Rosa are rundown Route 66 towns with tons of boarded up motels, just like Winslow and Holbrook.

Silver City is a rundown version of Prescott with a similar climate. Las Vegas is also a little similar to Prescott.

Las Cruces is a mini-Tucson with the same Hispanic vibe.

Nothing like Hobbs in AZ, with it's hellscape of oil pump jacks and burning flares.

Nothing like Roswell in AZ, which is nondescript except for the alien wackiness.

The closest thing to Taos in AZ would be Sedona, but there are many differences.

The closest thing to Los Alamos would be Sierra Vista with its government service economy.

Fun topic.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Not sure why we are singling out Alamogordo, but is Wal_Mart still the only grocery store in town? (It was the last time I was there; it drove the other grocery out of business, according to locals I spoke to, when it opened).

No one is singling out Alamogordo. I'm just talking about Alamogordo because I lived there for a couple of years and like it there. No, there is also Lowe's grocery store and Albertson's grocery store, and both are good grocery stores.

Messed up quote tags here, so my post looks like yours. Anyway, thanks for the info. I always enjoyed my visits to Alamogordo, haven't visited there in a long time. Glad there are other options for food shopping!

[Giesela]

I am enjoying the discussion here. I've not spent that much time either place but I get this sense that
yes, the mexican influences or vibes are different in inexplicable ways. I think that is compounded in
NM by an overlay of more Native American influences. At least I get a more Native American influence
in New Mexico than Arizona with or without the differences in hispanic culture.
Sometime I might google the mexican regions south of their respective borders and see if the differences come from there.

[GraceKrispy]

I lived in both AZ and NM for a number of years, at high elevation for both and in medium-sized towns for both (not large cities). My thoughts:
*The weather was the same, the scenery drastically different. NM had more wide open spaces, red rocks, gorgeous sunrises/sunsets, and shorter vegetation while AZ was a pine forest. Both were gorgeous. The weather in both places (high elevation, remember) was sunny, all four seasons (but milder than seen in the midwest), and dry.
*Culture is very different. AZ feels more like a Wild West and West Coast feel while NM has much more of the Mexican influence. I actually lived just next to a reservation in each place, but even the feel of the border towns was very different. AZ felt much more "mainstream" while NM had more of the Hispanic and Native American feel. In the Northern portions of each state, I felt that NM also had much more diversity than AZ, but feeling could just be really reflective of the specific towns in which I lived.
*Food was very different (following the cultural differences). NM Mexican food is very distinctive and I miss it greatly.
*The differences between those areas also felt economic. It was less expensive in NM and it felt like a much poorer state based on the areas in which I lived.
*Animal life was very different. Different creatures live in high mesas versus high forest regions.
*Both states have gorgeous places to explore and visit.