Living Cost Compare
Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/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 $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 31% higher in Santa Fe, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Santa Fe, NM
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$969
$756
+22% in Santa Fe, NM
1 Bedroom
$1,167
$843
+28% in Santa Fe, NM
2 Bedroom
$1,559
$978
+37% in Santa Fe, NM
3 Bedroom
$1,733
$1,136
+34% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$411,500
$178,100
+57% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income
$70,110
$48,465
+31% in Santa Fe, NM
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$44,820
+8% in Santa Fe, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
46.4 yr
37.5 yr
+8.9 yr in Santa Fe, NM
Homeownership
62.8%
53.8%
+9.0 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
45.4%
27.5%
+17.9 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Avg Commute
20.2 min
19.0 min
+1.2 min in Santa Fe, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
843.3
1,235.4
+46% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
5,189
4,048.2
+22% 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
65.5°F
+13.6°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
13.5 in
51.0 in
+37.5 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
14.2
+0% in Shreveport, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.90
$16.62
+40% in Shreveport, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Santa Fe, NM
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Santa Fe, NM
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Shreveport, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Santa Fe, NM
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Santa Fe, NM
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Santa Fe, NM

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

State Taxes

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

Santa Fe vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Santa Fe than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Shreveport?
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); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 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).