Cost of Living Comparison Between Montpellier and Santa Fe, NM Cost of Living Comparison Between Montpellier and Santa Fe, NM

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,968 in Montpellier versus $2,926 in Santa Fe, NM.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,934 in Montpellier versus $4,192 in Santa Fe, NM.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,900 in Montpellier versus $5,458 in Santa Fe, NM.

Living in Montpellier costs roughly 33% less than in Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montpellier 46% above, Santa Fe, NM 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 €14.76

$17.38 $17.38

-1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 €50.3

$81.1 $81.1

-27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.45 €11.59

$9.90 $9.90

35.86%

Cappuccino

$3.78 €3.26

$5.16 $5.16

-26.74%

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

$2.74 €2.37

$2.86 $2.86

-4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.79 $1.79

7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.86

$6.05 $6.05

-6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.05

$7.13 $7.13

-34.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.06 $1.06

27.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.89 $2.89

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$3.21 $3.21

-18.69%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.61

$4.55 $4.55

-7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.65 €16.07

$12.45 $12.45

49.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 €13.09

$10.31 $10.31

47.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.83 €22.25

$20.07 $20.07

28.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$4.71 $4.71

-34.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.46 $1.46

54.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$3.78 $3.78

-30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.45

$4.39 $4.39

-8.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.42 $2.42

-4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.46 $2.46

10.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.02 $2.02

-22.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.47

$2.30 $2.30

-76.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 €11.74

$9.95 $9.95

36.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 €7.14

$15.89 $15.89

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$1.79 $1.79

69.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$2.78 $2.78

42.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.98 $1.98

-8.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.31 €14.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 €4.56

$3.53 $3.53

49.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.88 $1.88

-18.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.34 €28.72

$28.88 $28.88

15.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.83 $0.83

151.81%

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

$37.9K €32.6K

$29.0K $29.0K

30.42%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

48.15%

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

$192 €166

$180 $180

7.02%

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

$27.41 €23.62

$45.12 $45.12

-39.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.54 €29.76

$69.4 $69.4

-50.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.61 €33.26

$85.6 $85.6

-54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.83 €24.84

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.77

$13.55 $13.55

0.81%

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

$767 €661

$1,229 $1,229

-37.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,158 €7,029

$15.4K $15.4K

-46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.6

$52.7 $52.7

92.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.24

$51.5 $51.5

-13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €91.8

$87.7 $87.7

21.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 €159

$101 $101

82.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 €735

$2,209 $2,209

-61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 €644

$1,679 $1,679

-55.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 €1,212

$4,408 $4,408

-68.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 €975

$2,594 $2,594

-56.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,234 €4,509

$6,807 $6,807

-23.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,129 €3,557

$4,057 $4,057

1.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,789 €2,403

$3,736 $3,736

-25.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

6.49

-43.91%

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

Last update for Montpellier: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $853 in Montpellier and $2,209 in Santa Fe, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe, NM pays 34% 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: $58.0 in Montpellier vs $81.0 in Santa Fe, NM. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $383, with Santa Fe, NM 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

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

Montpellier is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Santa Fe, NM earns 34% less. 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: $853 in Montpellier versus $2,209 in Santa Fe, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $767 in Montpellier versus $1,229 in Santa Fe, NM. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Montpellier – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $81.0 in Santa Fe, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,968 in Montpellier versus $2,926 in Santa Fe, NM, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montpellier but tight or insufficient in Santa Fe, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Montpellier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montpellier is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Fe, NM, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montpellier and Santa Fe, NM 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 Montpellier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Santa Fe, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.