Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Santa Fe?

Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Santa Fe?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.

Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Santa Fe?

Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Aberdeen vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

Aberdeen

South Dakota

$740/mo est.

Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $740 in Aberdeen, SD versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Aberdeen, SD is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,715 in Aberdeen, SD and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 9% higher in Santa Fe, NM. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Aberdeen, SD

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$529

$969

+83% in Santa Fe, NM

1 Bedroom

$576

$1,167

+103% in Santa Fe, NM

2 Bedroom

$824

$1,559

+89% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$924

$1,733

+88% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$205,500

$411,500

+100% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$63,715

$70,110

+10% in Santa Fe, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$48,710

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.8 yr

46.4 yr

+10.6 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

58.4%

62.8%

+4.4 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.6%

45.4%

+11.8 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

11.1 min

20.2 min

+9.1 min in Santa Fe, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

275

843.3

+207% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

1,421.2

5,189

+265% in Santa Fe, NM

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

43.0°F

51.9°F

+8.9°F in Santa Fe, NM

Annual Precipitation

21.7 in

13.5 in

+8.2 in in Aberdeen, SD

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Aberdeen, SD

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

15.1

+2% in Aberdeen, SD

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$9.31

+39% in Aberdeen, SD

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Santa Fe, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Santa Fe, NM

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Aberdeen, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Santa Fe, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Aberdeen, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Santa Fe, NM

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / NM)

4.2%

4.875%

+0.7 pp in NM

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.90%

+5.9 pp in NM

Aberdeen vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Santa Fe?: Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Santa Fe?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Santa Fe?: Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).