Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Santa Fe?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Santa Fe?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% 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).

Davenport vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/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 $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 8% higher in Santa Fe, NM. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$726

$969

+33% in Santa Fe, NM

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,167

+50% in Santa Fe, NM

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,559

+62% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,733

+55% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$411,500

+153% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$70,110

+9% in Santa Fe, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$48,710

+0% in Santa Fe, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

46.4 yr

+8.6 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

63.0%

62.8%

+0.2 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

45.4%

+15.4 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

18.7 min

20.2 min

+1.5 min in Santa Fe, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

843.3

+45% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

3,559.6

5,189

+46% 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

49.3°F

51.9°F

+2.6°F in Santa Fe, NM

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

13.5 in

+22.5 in in Davenport, IA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Davenport, IA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

15.1

+5% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$9.31

+58% in Davenport, IA

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 Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Santa Fe, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

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 (IA / NM)

4.875%

+1.1 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

5.90%

+2.1 pp in NM

Davenport vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Santa Fe?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Santa Fe?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Santa Fe?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% 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).