Santa Fe cost of living
Prices in the Santa Fe, NM metro area run at 98.8 against a national average of 100, ranking it #99 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 108.0.
What drives the number
Santa Fe sits at 98.8, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. It ranks #99 of 387 metro areas, in the middle by construction rather than by coincidence. Against New Mexico as a whole it is 6.6 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.1, rents at 108.0, other services at 76.7. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 1.2 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Santa Fe is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,300 | $35,390 | $35,820 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,790 | $29,860 | $30,223 | $30,480 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,750 | $36,610 | $37,055 | $33,760 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,730 | $46,600 | $47,166 | $46,290 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,710 | $105,600 | $106,883 | $102,950 |
| Cashiers | 1,440 | $31,060 | $31,437 | $31,190 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,220 | $36,730 | $37,176 | $36,830 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,180 | $40,430 | $40,921 | $42,830 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 98.8.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 95.5 | 89.2 | #155 |
| Las Cruces | 90.2 | 63.0 | #285 |
| Farmington | 87.7 | 56.6 | #343 |
Santa Fe: common questions
Is Santa Fe expensive?
Prices are 1.2% below the national average, a parity of 98.8 where the country is 100. It ranks #99 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against New Mexico as a whole it is 6.6 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Santa Fe?
The median worker there earns $47,180, which buys what $47,753 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 108.0 against goods at 96.1. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.