Living Cost Compare
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/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 $1,170 in New Orleans, LA versus $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,339 in New Orleans, LA and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 21% higher in Santa Fe, NM. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

New Orleans, LA
Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio
$953
$969
+2% in Santa Fe, NM
1 Bedroom
$1,019
$1,167
+15% in Santa Fe, NM
2 Bedroom
$1,287
$1,559
+21% in Santa Fe, NM
3 Bedroom
$1,392
$1,733
+24% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$296,400
$411,500
+39% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income
$55,339
$70,110
+27% in Santa Fe, NM
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,290
$48,710
+3% in Santa Fe, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.4 yr
46.4 yr
+8.0 yr in Santa Fe, NM
Homeownership
50.5%
62.8%
+12.3 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
42.0%
45.4%
+3.4 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Avg Commute
22.7 min
20.2 min
+2.5 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,361.1
843.3
+38% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
5,089.6
5,189
+2% 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
70.6°F
51.9°F
+18.7°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
13.5 in
+48.8 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — New Orleans RTA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
14.1
+0% in New Orleans, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$11.90
+28% in New Orleans, LA

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 New Orleans, LA
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 (LA / NM)
5%
4.875%
+0.1 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
5.90%
+2.9 pp in NM

New Orleans vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in New Orleans or Santa Fe?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in New Orleans than in Santa Fe?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in New Orleans versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, New Orleans or Santa Fe?
New Orleans is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% 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).