Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,933 in Santa Fe, NM versus $2,706 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,146 in Santa Fe, NM versus $4,169 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,358 in Santa Fe, NM versus $5,633 in Austin, TX.

Living in Santa Fe, NM is roughly 8% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Fe, NM 120% above, Austin, TX 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 $17.16

$19.70 $19.70

-12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$76.0 $76.0

5.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 $9.81

$9.86 $9.86

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.48 $5.48

-1.28%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.65 $2.65

8.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.09 $2.09

-11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.09 $6.09

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$8.15 $8.15

-14.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.10 $1.10

-8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.39 $3.39

-10.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.38 $3.38

-3.85%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$4.39 $4.39

0.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.10 $12.10

6.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$10.84 $10.84

-7.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.47 $19.47

$14.68 $14.68

32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.96 $4.96

-5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.51 $1.51

-5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.40 $4.40

-14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.10 $4.10

11.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.81 $2.81

-13.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.87 $2.87

-14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.95 $1.95

3.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.18 $2.18

4.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$8.99 $8.99

11.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 $16.30

$15.11 $15.11

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.33 $2.33

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.43 $3.43

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.54 $1.54

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.15 $44.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.41 $4.41

-21.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.83 $1.83

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.76 $28.76

$34.65 $34.65

-17.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.78 $0.78

1.28%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

11.01%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

-0.24%

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

$183 $183

$175 $175

4.67%

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

$45.27 $45.27

$59.7 $59.7

-24.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$65.5 $65.5

5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.0 $86.0

$61.3 $61.3

40.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 $9.89

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 $13.59

$14.76 $14.76

-7.93%

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

$1,229 $1,229

$1,372 $1,372

-10.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K $15.3K

$22.2K $22.2K

-31.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$56.5 $56.5

-5.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$45.29 $45.29

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$85.0 $85.0

3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$118 $118

-16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 $2,146

$2,201 $2,201

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$1,403 $1,403

18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,291 $4,291

$3,815 $3,815

12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$2,680 $2,680

-2.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,814 $6,814

$7,133 $7,133

-4.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,094 $4,094

$3,078 $3,078

33.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,737 $3,737

$5,110 $5,110

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.45

0.62%

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

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: July 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,146 in Santa Fe, NM and $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Santa Fe, NM vs $76.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $379 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Santa Fe, NM. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,146 in Santa Fe, NM versus $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,229 in Santa Fe, NM versus $1,372 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $80.0 in Santa Fe, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Santa Fe, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.