Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Seattle?

Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $74,000 in Seattle.

Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Seattle?

Santa Fe is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Santa Fe vs Seattle Cost of Living 2026

Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/mo est.

Seattle

Washington

$2,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM versus $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Santa Fe, NM is roughly 35% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 43% higher in Seattle, WA. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Santa Fe, NM

Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio

$969

$1,638

+69% in Seattle, WA

1 Bedroom

$1,167

$1,858

+59% in Seattle, WA

2 Bedroom

$1,559

$2,359

+51% in Seattle, WA

3 Bedroom

$1,733

$2,918

+68% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$411,500

$912,100

+122% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$70,110

$121,984

+74% in Seattle, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,710

$72,610

+49% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

46.4 yr

35.5 yr

+10.9 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

62.8%

44.2%

+18.6 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

45.4%

67.5%

+22.1 pp in Seattle, WA

Avg Commute

20.2 min

26.6 min

+6.4 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

843.3

788.6

+6% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

5,189

5,108.8

+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

51.9°F

53.5°F

+1.6°F in Seattle, WA

Annual Precipitation

13.5 in

37.7 in

+24.2 in in Seattle, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.31/gal

+47% in Seattle, WA

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs King County Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

14.9

+6% in Seattle, WA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$20.41

+72% in Seattle, WA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NM / WA)

4.875%

6.5%

+1.6 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

None

+5.9 pp in NM

Santa Fe vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Seattle?: Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Santa Fe than in Seattle?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Seattle?: Santa Fe is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).