Living Cost Compare
Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/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 $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 6% 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 $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 21% higher in Santa Fe, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Santa Fe, NM
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$969
$1,103
+14% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,024
+12% in Santa Fe, NM
2 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,213
+22% in Santa Fe, NM
3 Bedroom
$1,733
$1,394
+20% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$411,500
$224,500
+45% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income
$70,110
$55,269
+21% in Santa Fe, NM
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$54,310
+11% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
46.4 yr
37.0 yr
+9.4 yr in Santa Fe, NM
Homeownership
62.8%
46.0%
+16.8 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
45.4%
33.1%
+12.3 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Avg Commute
20.2 min
23.0 min
+2.8 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
843.3
1,138.2
+35% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
5,189
3,182.4
+39% 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
54.9°F
+3.0°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
13.5 in
43.1 in
+29.6 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.86/gal
+7% in Wilmington, DE

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
19.4
+37% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.90
$22.51
+89% in Wilmington, DE

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 Wilmington, DE
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 / DE)
4.875%
None
+4.9 pp in NM
Income Tax (top rate)
5.90%
6.60%
+0.7 pp in DE

Santa Fe vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Santa Fe or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% 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 Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Santa Fe versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Santa Fe or Wilmington?
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); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).