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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Seattle, WA versus $2,933 in Santa Fe, NM.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,605 in Seattle, WA versus $4,146 in Santa Fe, NM.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,645 in Seattle, WA versus $5,358 in Santa Fe, NM.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 22% more expensive than in Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 167% above, Santa Fe, NM 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.79 $24.79

$17.16 $17.16

44.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$80.1 $80.1

48.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.81 $9.81

44.24%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.41 $5.41

5.55%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.88 $2.88

1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.85 $1.85

36.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$6.12 $6.12

28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.93 $6.93

16.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.01 $1.01

34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.03 $3.03

67.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.25 $3.25

61.54%

Eggs

$6.91 $6.91

$4.40 $4.40

57.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 $24.95

$12.85 $12.85

94.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 $15.75

$10.08 $10.08

56.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$19.47 $19.47

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$4.71 $4.71

31.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.43 $1.43

95.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.75 $3.75

47.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$4.59 $4.59

39.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.42 $2.42

30.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.44 $2.44

59.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.02 $2.02

33.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.28 $2.28

10.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

$10.03 $10.03

13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 $15.67

$16.30 $16.30

-3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.73 $1.73

65.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.79 $2.79

52.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.96 $1.96

38.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.46 $3.46

-25.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.80 $1.80

-9.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.68 $29.68

$28.76 $28.76

3.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.79 $0.79

44.30%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$28.8K $28.8K

13.97%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.39%

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

$264 $264

$183 $183

44.29%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$45.27 $45.27

36.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$69.0 $69.0

9.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

$86.0 $86.0

-9.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.28 $40.28

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 $16.11

$13.59 $13.59

18.54%

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

$2,212 $2,212

$1,229 $1,229

79.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K $29.0K

$15.3K $15.3K

89.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 $69.3

$53.5 $53.5

29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$51.3 $51.3

4.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$88.3 $88.3

35.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$98.2 $98.2

44.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 $2,357

$2,146 $2,146

9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$1,659 $1,659

10.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,686 $4,686

$4,291 $4,291

9.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,571 $3,571

$2,605 $2,605

37.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,539 $7,539

$6,814 $6,814

10.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 $5,046

$4,094 $4,094

23.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,473 $6,473

$3,737 $3,737

73.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.49

-1.08%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,357 in Seattle, WA and $2,146 in Santa Fe, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 73% 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: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Santa Fe, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $543 vs $383 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

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

Santa Fe, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 22% 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.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,357 in Seattle, WA versus $2,146 in Santa Fe, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,212 in Seattle, WA 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 Santa Fe, NM – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $119 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 $2,933 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 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.