Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Santa Fe?

Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Santa Fe?

Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).

Fort Wayne vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$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 Fort Wayne, IN versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 14% higher in Santa Fe, NM. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$798

$969

+21% in Santa Fe, NM

1 Bedroom

$782

$1,167

+49% in Santa Fe, NM

2 Bedroom

$984

$1,559

+58% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,100

$1,733

+58% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$169,700

$411,500

+142% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$60,293

$70,110

+16% in Santa Fe, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,700

$48,710

+2% in Santa Fe, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.0 yr

46.4 yr

+11.4 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

62.2%

62.8%

+0.6 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

28.5%

45.4%

+16.9 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

21.4 min

20.2 min

+1.2 min in Fort Wayne, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

308.9

843.3

+173% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

2,245.4

5,189

+131% 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

50.5°F

51.9°F

+1.4°F in Santa Fe, NM

Annual Precipitation

38.3 in

13.5 in

+24.8 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

18.1

14.1

+22% in Fort Wayne, IN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.70

$11.90

+13% in Fort Wayne, IN

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 Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Santa Fe, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Fort Wayne, IN

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 (IN / NM)

4.875%

+2.1 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.95%

5.90%

+3.0 pp in NM

Fort Wayne vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Santa Fe?: Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Santa Fe?: Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).