Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Tucson?

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% 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 Tucson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Tucson?

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); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Santa Fe vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 18% 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 $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 22% higher in Santa Fe, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Santa Fe, NM

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$969

$795

+18% in Santa Fe, NM

1 Bedroom

$1,167

$891

+24% in Santa Fe, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,559

$1,146

+26% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,733

$1,520

+12% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$411,500

$242,200

+41% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$70,110

$54,546

+22% in Santa Fe, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,710

$47,760

+2% in Santa Fe, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

46.4 yr

34.6 yr

+11.8 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

62.8%

51.7%

+11.1 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

45.4%

30.2%

+15.2 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

20.2 min

22.2 min

+2.0 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

843.3

645.8

+23% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

5,189

3,460

+33% 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

70.2°F

+18.3°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

13.5 in

11.6 in

+1.9 in in Santa Fe, NM

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.09/gal

+40% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

15.2

+8% in Tucson, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$22.44

+89% in Tucson, AZ

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 / AZ)

4.875%

5.6%

+0.7 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

2.50%

+3.4 pp in NM

Santa Fe vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Tucson?: Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% 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 Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Tucson?: 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); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).