Santa Fe, NM Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Santa Fe, NM Summary

Cost of living in Santa Fe research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Santa Fe is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Mexico, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Santa Fe is 111, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Santa Fe is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Santa Fe ranks as the #40 cheapest in New Mexico out of 45.

  • Santa Fe ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Santa Fe is $580,317.

  • The median income in Santa Fe is $70,110.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
111
Santa Fe's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Santa Fe, NM?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Fe has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Mexico, Santa Fe has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than New Mexico's index of 95.

The standard of living in Santa Fe ranks as #40 most affordable out of the 45 places we measured in New Mexico. By definition, that implies Santa Fe ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Land of Enchantment.

For more reading on life in Santa Fe, check out:

40 out of 45
In New Mexico
3,765 out of 6,489
In America

Santa Fe Cost Of Living Vs. New Mexico

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Fe. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Santa Fe is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Santa Fe is 98.

  • The Health index in Santa Fe is 94.

  • The Housing index in Santa Fe is 147.

  • The Transportation index in Santa Fe is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Santa Fe is 98.

Living Expense Santa Fe New Mexico National Average
Overall 111 95 100
Services 99 96 100
Groceries 98 96 100
Health 94 95 100
Housing 147 87 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 98 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Mexico, check out:
Santa Fe Cost of Living Vs. NM

Santa Fe, NM Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Mexico, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Santa Fe is $580,317.

  • The Median Rent in Santa Fe is $1,380.

  • The Median Income in Santa Fe is $70,110.

  • The Home Value To Income in Santa Fe is 8.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Fe is 0.24x.

Statistic Santa Fe New Mexico United States
Median Home Value $580,317 $311,815 $303,400
Median Rent $1,380 $1,021 $1,348
Median Income $70,110 $62,125 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.3x 5.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$580,317
Median Home Value
$1,380
Median Rent
$70,110
Median Income

Santa Fe, NM Costs By Category

Detailed Santa Fe Services Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Santa Fe New Mexico
Shampoo $1.15 $1.28
Movie $12.54 $12.13
Bowling $20.89 $18
Haircut $31.9 $24.26
Beauty Salon $50.83 $45.56

Detailed Santa Fe Groceries Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Santa Fe New Mexico
Ground Beef $5.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.32 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.18 $4.93
Pizza $13.42 $12.09
Beer $11.07 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Santa Fe Health Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Santa Fe New Mexico
Optometrist $136.89 $125.68
Doctor $134.17 $135.78
Dentist $111.42 $113.29

Detailed Santa Fe Transportation Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Santa Fe New Mexico
Gasoline $3.5 $3.46
Tire Balancing $43.87 $59.92

Detailed Santa Fe Utilities Costs Vs. New Mexico

Item Santa Fe New Mexico
All Electricity $191.24 $193.99
Phone $190.51 $192.25

Santa Fe SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Fe

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Fe. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Rio Rancho, NM has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Santa Fe.

  • Los Alamos, NM has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Santa Fe.

  • North Valley, NM has a cost of living index of 98, 0.9x Santa Fe.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Santa Fe
Rio Rancho, NM 106,533 103 0.9x
Los Alamos, NM 13,471 114 1.0x
North Valley, NM 11,474 98 0.9x
Bernalillo, NM 9,068 95 0.9x
Edgewood, NM 6,122 101 0.9x
Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM 5,746 130 1.2x
White Rock, NM 5,568 119 1.1x

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