CostIndexUSA

Brownsville, TX vs Santa Fe, NM Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
Brownsville
86
overall index
$1,425/mo rent
NM
Santa Fe
98.8
overall index
$1,950/mo rent

Brownsville is moderately cheaper than Santa Fe — 14.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Brownsville, you would need $91,900 in Santa Fe. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+87.2%
Brownsville
57.7
Santa Fe
108
🛒 Groceries+2.5%
Brownsville
93.8
Santa Fe
96.1
🚗 Transportation+2.4%
Brownsville
101.1
Santa Fe
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+2.4%
Brownsville
91.4
Santa Fe
93.6
Utilities5.5%
Brownsville
81.2
Santa Fe
76.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Brownsville to see what you'd need to earn in Santa Fe to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Santa Fe, NM
$91,900
$11,900 more needed in Santa Fe

Formula: salary × (98.8 ÷ 86) = salary × 1.1488. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,425
Housing Index
57.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.7×

Santa Fe, NM

Median Home Price
$541,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
108
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.1×

Santa Fe has 87.2% higher housing costs compared to Brownsville.

Income & Job Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Household Income
$52,200
Per Capita Income
$29,800
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
183,392
Top Industries
International TradeHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Santa Fe, NM

Median Household Income
$78,700
Per Capita Income
$44,900
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
84,683
Top Industries
GovernmentTourismArtsHealthcareEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Brownsville, TX
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Santa Fe, NM
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.