Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Santa Fe, NM is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 4% higher in Santa Fe, NM. Florida has no state income tax 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.

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$969
+14% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,167
+2% in Santa Fe, NM
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,559
+13% in Santa Fe, NM
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,733
+12% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$411,500
+55% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$70,110
+5% in Santa Fe, NM
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$48,710
+0% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
46.4 yr
+10.0 yr in Santa Fe, NM
Homeownership
57.4%
62.8%
+5.4 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
45.4%
+13.6 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Avg Commute
24.1 min
20.2 min
+3.9 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
843.3
+51% in Santa Fe, NM
Property Crime
2,600.1
5,189
+100% 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
70.2°F
51.9°F
+18.3°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
13.5 in
+35.7 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.62/gal
+4% in Jacksonville, FL

Area: Florida vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
14.1
+7% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$11.90
+50% in Jacksonville, FL

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 Jacksonville, FL
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 (FL / NM)
6%
4.875%
+1.1 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.90%
+5.9 pp in NM

Jacksonville vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Santa Fe?
Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Santa Fe?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Santa Fe?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax 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).