Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Santa Fe?

Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).

Arlington vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

Arlington

Texas

$1,380/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 $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Santa Fe, NM is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 5% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$1,088

$969

+11% in Arlington, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$1,167

+1% in Arlington, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,410

$1,559

+11% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$1,733

+5% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$276,400

$411,500

+49% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$73,519

$70,110

+5% in Arlington, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$48,710

+5% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.6 yr

46.4 yr

+12.8 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

54.8%

62.8%

+8.0 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.1%

45.4%

+12.3 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

26.7 min

20.2 min

+6.5 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

494.2

843.3

+71% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

2,434.5

5,189

+113% 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

65.4°F

51.9°F

+13.5°F in Arlington, TX

Annual Precipitation

39.6 in

13.5 in

+26.1 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

about equal

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

N/A

—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

14.1

+14% in Arlington, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$11.90

+61% in Arlington, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Santa Fe, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Santa Fe, NM

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Arlington, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Santa Fe, NM

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Santa Fe, NM

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Santa Fe, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NM)

6.25%

4.875%

+1.4 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.90%

+5.9 pp in NM

Arlington vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Santa Fe?: Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Santa Fe?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Santa Fe?: Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).