Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Santa Fe, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Fe, NM: $2,894 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
142

Cost of Living Index in Santa Fe, NM
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Santa Fe, NM Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Santa Fe, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Santa Fe, NM

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Santa Fe, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,894 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Santa Fe, NM $2,894

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,911 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Santa Fe, NM $3,911

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,928 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Santa Fe, NM $4,928

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Santa Fe, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Santa Fe, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Santa Fe, NM by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$16.86 $16.86

28.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$67.0 $67.0

32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.13 $10.13

30.31%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.06 $5.06

10.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.82 $2.82

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.45 $2.45

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.02 $6.02

18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$6.87 $6.87

34.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.00 $1.00

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.14 $3.14

22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.49 $4.49

12.92%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.32 $4.32

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$11.69 $11.69

21.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.59 $9.59

52.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$17.08 $17.08

9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.78 $4.78

8.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.49 $1.49

34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.90 $3.90

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.49 $4.49

10.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.12 $3.12

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.09 $2.09

26.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.05 $2.05

3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.55 $2.55

21.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$10.44 $10.44

53.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.87 $15.87

-4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.06 $2.06

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.70 $3.70

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.68 $3.68

-12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.01 $2.01

-30.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$32.18 $32.18

-22.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.02 $1.02

21.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K $37.2K

$31.3K $31.3K

18.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

2.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$192 $192

$159 $159

20.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$44.72 $44.72

51.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$72.1 $72.1

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$85.5 $85.5

-37.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$13.02 $13.02

36.71%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,554 $1,554

$1,359 $1,359

14.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$15.4K $15.4K

103.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$55.3 $55.3

22.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$44.36 $44.36

14.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$78.7 $78.7

28.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$118 $118

21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,270 $2,270

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,684 $1,684

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$3,511 $3,511

33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,271 $2,271

20.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$6,793 $6,793

-38.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$4,075 $4,075

-33.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,776 $3,776

29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.57

3.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Santa Fe, NM

$1.7K 58.2% 1.6% $28

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Santa Fe, NM

$384 13.3% 15% $68

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Santa Fe, NM

$291 10.1% 17.5% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Santa Fe, NM

$276 9.6% 13.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Santa Fe, NM

$133 4.6% 18.4% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Santa Fe, NM

$14 * 0.5% 85.6% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Santa Fe, NM

$112 3.9% 25.1% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,270 in Santa Fe, NM. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $67.0 in Santa Fe, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $384 – making Santa Fe, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Santa Fe, NM

🕒 Local time

12:55 12:55 PM

11:55 11:55 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

87,505

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Santa Fe, NM 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Santa Fe, NM

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Santa Fe, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,894 in Santa Fe, NM – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,341 in Santa Fe, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Fe, NM, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $67.0 in Santa Fe, NM. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,894 in Santa Fe, NM. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,894 in Santa Fe, NM to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Fe, NM. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.