Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,882 in Santa Fe, NM versus $3,880 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,917 in Santa Fe, NM versus $5,820 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,951 in Santa Fe, NM versus $7,759 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Santa Fe, NM costs roughly 26% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Fe, NM 111% above, Seattle, WA 184% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.93 $16.93

$25.01 $25.01

-32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 $63.5

$99.9 $99.9

-36.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$15.06 $15.06

-32.60%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$6.37 $6.37

-19.94%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$3.08 $3.08

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.00 $3.00

-22.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$7.80 $7.80

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$8.21 $8.21

-12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.21 $1.21

-24.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.99 $4.99

-36.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$6.39 $6.39

-30.05%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$5.12 $5.12

-15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$21.05 $21.05

-43.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$18.38 $18.38

-48.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$24.03 $24.03

-31.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$5.89 $5.89

-18.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.88 $1.88

-21.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$5.29 $5.29

-27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.47 $6.47

-32.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.68 $3.68

-13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.36 $3.36

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.79 $2.79

-30.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$13.92 $13.92

-24.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.01 $16.01

$14.99 $14.99

6.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$4.28 $4.28

-51.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.86 $5.86

-37.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.57 $2.57

40.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.72 $1.72

16.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.23 $32.23

$30.40 $30.40

6.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.40 $1.40

-35.00%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$36.1K $36.1K

-13.75%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

-2.23%

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

$161 $161

$299 $299

-46.36%

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

$45.49 $45.49

$69.4 $69.4

-34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$87.7 $87.7

-15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 $88.2

$80.2 $80.2

9.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.74 $12.74

$17.70 $17.70

-28.02%

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

$1,329 $1,329

$3,020 $3,020

-56.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$31.0K $31.0K

-49.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$77.3 $77.3

-31.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 $44.41

$55.1 $55.1

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$128 $128

-38.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$159 $159

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$2,488 $2,488

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 $1,717

$1,930 $1,930

-11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,634 $3,634

$4,755 $4,755

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$3,639 $3,639

-38.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,704 $6,704

$7,583 $7,583

-11.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,197 $4,197

$5,109 $5,109

-17.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,861 $3,861

$6,219 $6,219

-37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.05

6.45

-6.20%

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

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Santa Fe, NM and $2,488 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 61% 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: $63.0 in Santa Fe, NM vs $100 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $552 per month, with Santa Fe, NM 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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Fe, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Fe, NM the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $2,310 in Santa Fe, NM versus $2,488 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,329 in Santa Fe, NM versus $3,020 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Fe, NM – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $100 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Fe, NM delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,882 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Fe, NM hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Santa Fe, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.