Santa Fe, New Mexico
Living in Santa Fe, New Mexico is about 5% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 95 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,953 a month, 1% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.84 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 49% of the area's $74,689 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.84
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,953
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$12.95
Combo meal
Electricity
16.51¢
per kWh · ~$149/mo
Car Insurance
$165/mo
$1,980/yr
Median Household Income
$74,689
49% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,980 in Santa Fe. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,953/mo in Santa Fe. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.38 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.07 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.42 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.86 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$5.79 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.68 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.76 | $5.38 | +43.1% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.50 | $5.07 | +12.7% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.34 | $7.42 | +39.0% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.12 | $4.86 | +18.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.52 | $5.79 | +28.1% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.32 | $8.68 | +37.3% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$12.95
Casual Dining
$23.71
Monthly Spend
$392.48
+3.88% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.03
$12.95
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $9.06
$13.99
+54.4%Chipotle
2022: $9.71
$14.50
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.27
$5.93
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Santa Fe?
Average 1BR: $1,601/mo · 2BR: $2,305/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
62k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,177
$61k/yr
Top Sector
Leisure & Hospitality
Household vs Worker Pay
$75k
household median
Employment by Sector — Santa Fe
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$38k/yr
~$67k/yr
~$46k/yr
~$80k/yr
~$55k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 35049
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,074/wk · $108k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$734/wk · $38k/yr
Santa Fe Cost of Living FAQ
Is Santa Fe, NM expensive to live in?
Santa Fe has a cost of living index of 95, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 5% cheaper than average. It is the most expensive of the 6 New Mexico cities we track.
What is the average rent in Santa Fe, NM?
Typical rent in Santa Fe is $1,953 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 1% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,601 and two bedrooms about $2,305. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Santa Fe?
Rent in Santa Fe rose 0.7% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Santa Fe?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.84 a gallon in Santa Fe as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for New Mexico. That is 4% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Santa Fe?
Homes in New Mexico pay an average of 16.5 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Santa Fe is about $149.
How much is car insurance in Santa Fe?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,980 a year in New Mexico, or about $165 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Santa Fe?
Median household income in the Santa Fe area is $74,689 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $36,613 a year, or 49% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Santa Fe compare with the rest of New Mexico?
Rent in Santa Fe is 26% above the $1,551 average across the 6 New Mexico cities we track, and its cost of living index of 95 compares with a state average of 90.
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