CostIndexUSA

Houston, TX vs Santa Fe, NM Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Houston
98.6
overall index
$1,600/mo rent
NM
Santa Fe
98.8
overall index
$1,950/mo rent

Houston and Santa Fe have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+3.3%
Houston
104.5
Santa Fe
108
🛒 Groceries4.5%
Houston
100.6
Santa Fe
96.1
🚗 Transportation+3.1%
Houston
100.4
Santa Fe
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+3.1%
Houston
90.8
Santa Fe
93.6
Utilities19.5%
Houston
95.3
Santa Fe
76.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Santa Fe, NM
$80,200
$200 more needed in Santa Fe

Formula: salary × (98.8 ÷ 98.6) = salary × 1.0020. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Houston, TX

Median Home Price
$302,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,600
Housing Index
104.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.7×

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 3.3% higher housing costs compared to Houston.

Income & Job Market

Houston, TX

Median Household Income
$79,500
Per Capita Income
$45,300
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
Population
2,304,580
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareAerospaceManufacturingLogistics

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).

Houston, TX
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% 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.