Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Santa Fe Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Santa Fe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Maseru versus $804 in Santa Fe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Maseru versus $1,246 in Santa Fe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,514 in Maseru versus $1,688 in Santa Fe.

Living in Maseru costs roughly 18% less than in Santa Fe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maseru 51% lower, Santa Fe 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 LSL 180

$7.13 ARS 10.3K

56.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LSL 405

$16.54 ARS 24.0K

51.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 LSL 180

$7.72 ARS 11.2K

44.17%

Cappuccino

$1.74 LSL 28.22

$1.65 ARS 2,387

5.45%

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

$1.26 LSL 20.34

$1.32 ARS 1,912

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 LSL 12.00

$1.18 ARS 1,715

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 LSL 30.82

$1.23 ARS 1,784

54.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 LSL 35.83

$2.47 ARS 3,584

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 LSL 14.98

$1.03 ARS 1,489

-9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 LSL 11.56

$0.98 ARS 1,417

-27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 LSL 35.78

$1.79 ARS 2,591

23.46%

Eggs

$1.38 LSL 22.30

$1.51 ARS 2,195

-8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 LSL 117

$8.95 ARS 13.0K

-19.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 LSL 93.8

$5.83 ARS 8,459

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 LSL 90.6

$7.80 ARS 11.3K

-28.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 LSL 27.38

$1.86 ARS 2,705

-9.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 LSL 33.15

$2.16 ARS 3,138

-5.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 LSL 39.82

$1.01 ARS 1,460

143.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 LSL 36.80

$2.66 ARS 3,861

-14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 LSL 23.96

$0.51 ARS 743

190.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 LSL 24.77

$1.45 ARS 2,098

5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 LSL 22.34

$0.93 ARS 1,356

48.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 LSL 12.92

$1.79 ARS 2,600

-55.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 LSL 77.7

$3.49 ARS 5,066

37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.36 LSL 119

$4.83 ARS 7,007

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 LSL 16.06

$1.31 ARS 1,897

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 LSL 22.30

$3.03 ARS 4,395

-54.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 LSL 11.26

$0.99 ARS 1,431

-29.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.31 LSL 458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 LSL 9.55

$0.98 ARS 1,423

-39.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 LSL 9.88

$0.91 ARS 1,324

-32.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 LSL 161

$5.90 ARS 8,556

68.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LSL 19.42

$1.03 ARS 1,501

16.50%

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

$19.7K LSL 319.0K

$29.8K ARS 43.3M

-33.97%

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

$14.9K LSL 240.8K

$28.8K ARS 41.8M

-48.33%

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

$54.9 ARS 79.7K

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

$13.32 LSL 216

$8.20 ARS 11.9K

62.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.16 LSL 504

$14.75 ARS 21.4K

111.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LSL 341

$39.67 ARS 57.5K

-46.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.78 ARS 20.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 ARS 7,382

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

$47.92 LSL 776

$224 ARS 324.9K

-78.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,123 LSL 18.2K

$1,070 ARS 1.6M

4.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 LSL 706

$62.2 ARS 90.2K

-29.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 LSL 636

$59.8 ARS 86.7K

-34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 LSL 1,577

$109 ARS 158.8K

-11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 LSL 2,259

$93.2 ARS 135.2K

49.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 LSL 2,335

$311 ARS 450.8K

-53.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.8 LSL 1,147

$203 ARS 294.1K

-65.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 LSL 6,387

$587 ARS 851.2K

-32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 LSL 2,521

$331 ARS 479.9K

-52.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 LSL 6,352

$1,271 ARS 1.8M

-69.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$523 LSL 8,469

$1,023 ARS 1.5M

-48.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 LSL 10.6K

$853 ARS 1.2M

-23.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

100

-91.50%

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

Last update for Maseru: June 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in Maseru and $311 in Santa Fe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Maseru vs $17.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $204, with Maseru cheaper for home cooking.

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

Maseru vs Santa Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maseru and Santa Fe differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($656 vs $804 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Santa Fe. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $144 in Maseru versus $311 in Santa Fe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $47.92 in Maseru versus $224 in Santa Fe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $17.00 in Santa Fe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Maseru gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Maseru and Santa Fe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Santa Fe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.