CostIndexUSA

Austin, TX vs Santa Fe, NM Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
Austin
98.1
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
NM
Santa Fe
98.8
overall index
$1,950/mo rent

Austin is slightly cheaper than Santa Fe — 0.7% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Austin, you would need $80,600 in Santa Fe. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing10.3%
Austin
120.4
Santa Fe
108
🛒 Groceries+2.5%
Austin
93.8
Santa Fe
96.1
🚗 Transportation+2.4%
Austin
101.1
Santa Fe
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+2.4%
Austin
91.4
Santa Fe
93.6
Utilities6.5%
Austin
82
Santa Fe
76.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Austin to see what you'd need to earn in Santa Fe to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Santa Fe, NM
$80,600
$600 more needed in Santa Fe

Formula: salary × (98.8 ÷ 98.1) = salary × 1.0071. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Austin, TX

Median Home Price
$420,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
120.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.6×

Santa Fe, NM

Median Home Price
$541,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
108
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.1×

Austin has 10.3% lower housing costs compared to Santa Fe.

Income & Job Market

Austin, TX

Median Household Income
$98,500
Per Capita Income
$56,100
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
978,908
Top Industries
TechnologyGovernmentHealthcareEducationEntertainment

Santa Fe, NM

Median Household Income
$78,700
Per Capita Income
$44,900
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
84,683
Top Industries
GovernmentTourismArtsHealthcareEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Austin, TX
5.3×income-to-rent ratio

81% of income left after rent (median)

Santa Fe, NM
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.