Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Fe: $1,071 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Santa Fe
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Santa Fe Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Santa Fe

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,071

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Fe and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Santa Fe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Santa Fe $1,071
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Santa Fe versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Santa Fe $1,655
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,239 in Santa Fe versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Santa Fe $2,239
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Santa Fe costs roughly 60% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Fe is 21% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 15.1K

$20.77 $20.77

-52.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.60 ARS 57.0K

$84.6 $84.6

-55.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.68 ARS 19.2K

$12.32 $12.32

2.92%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ARS 2,556

$5.63 $5.63

-69.98%

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

$1.55 ARS 2,348

$3.72 $3.72

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 2,020

$2.50 $2.50

-46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 ARS 5,208

$8.05 $8.05

-57.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 ARS 7,572

$9.01 $9.01

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ARS 1,526

$1.12 $1.12

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,481

$3.75 $3.75

-56.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ARS 1,572

$3.26 $3.26

-68.10%

Eggs

$1.54 ARS 2,341

$4.17 $4.17

-63.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 ARS 13.0K

$12.90 $12.90

-33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 ARS 9,200

$14.16 $14.16

-57.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ARS 16.2K

$16.22 $16.22

-34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 3,016

$4.33 $4.33

-54.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,298

$1.46 $1.46

4.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ARS 1,316

$4.51 $4.51

-80.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 ARS 3,602

$4.34 $4.34

-45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ARS 867

$2.58 $2.58

-77.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ARS 955

$2.35 $2.35

-73.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,553

$1.78 $1.78

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ARS 1,546

$2.22 $2.22

-54.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ARS 4,715

$9.88 $9.88

-68.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 ARS 7,389

$15.08 $15.08

-67.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ARS 1,861

$2.92 $2.92

-57.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,109

$3.46 $3.46

-40.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ARS 1,570

$1.49 $1.49

-30.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ARS 1,538

$2.73 $2.73

-63.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,479

$1.66 $1.66

-40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,736

$0.95 $0.95

20.00%

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

$20.0K ARS 30.3M

$36.0K $36.0K

-44.60%

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

$29.8K ARS 45.2M

$27.1K $27.1K

10.13%

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

$60.1 ARS 91.2K

$229 $229

-73.75%

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

$19.86 ARS 30.1K

$59.4 $59.4

-66.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.95 ARS 31.8K

$69.9 $69.9

-70.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.96 ARS 51.5K

$57.2 $57.2

-40.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 ARS 7,327

$14.28 $14.28

-66.18%

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

$238 ARS 361.5K

$1,506 $1,506

-84.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 ARS 133.7K

$52.8 $52.8

66.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ARS 91.6K

$43.82 $43.82

37.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 173.7K

$84.8 $84.8

35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ARS 212.8K

$103 $103

36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ARS 777.2K

$1,907 $1,907

-73.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ARS 545.9K

$1,274 $1,274

-71.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 ARS 1.4M

$3,664 $3,664

-74.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 ARS 923.1K

$2,538 $2,538

-76.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 ARS 1.3M

$5,121 $5,121

-83.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

6.79

1372.75%

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

Last update for Santa Fe: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santa Fe

$360 33.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 254% $914

Groceries & Markets

Santa Fe

$199 18.5%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 104% $206

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Fe

$182 17%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 29.5% $54

Eating Out

Santa Fe

$176 16.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 101% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Fe

$101 9.4%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 255% $257

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Fe

$44 4.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 96.7% $42

Getting Around

Santa Fe

$10 * 0.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 485% $49

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Santa Fe and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 505% 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: $38.00 in Santa Fe vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $405 per month, with Santa Fe cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Santa Fe

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:46 1:46 PM

11:46 11:46 AM

2 h behind Santa Fe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

391,164

974,447

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.91 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,693 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.91 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Santa Fe Austin, TX 7,920 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Fe
Austin, TX

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

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

Santa Fe wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Fe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 505% 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: $513 in Santa Fe versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Santa Fe versus $1,506 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 Santa Fe – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,071 in Santa Fe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Fe but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Fe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Santa Fe and Austin, TX 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 Santa Fe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.