Is Santa Fe cheaper than Seattle?

Yes. Typical rent in Santa Fe is $1,685 a month versus $2,501 in Seattle — 33% cheaper. Median household income is $67,663 in Santa Fe compared with $116,068 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Santa Fe or Seattle?

Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 179 in Santa Fe — 35% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Santa Fe or Seattle?

Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Santa Fe — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Santa Fe, NM vs Seattle, WA

Santa Fe, NM versus Seattle, WA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,685 a month in Santa Fe and $2,501 in Seattle, and median household income lands at $67,663 versus $116,068. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Santa Fe takes affordability, while Seattle takes job market, safety, schools, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Seattle leads by 72% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Santa Fe can feel further apart than Santa Fe and Seattle do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Santa Fe and Seattle reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Santa Fe report Full Seattle report

Santa Fe, NM

Rent: $1,685/mo
Median income: $67,663
Crime index: 179
Schools: A-
Weather: 75°F

Seattle, WA

Rent: $2,501/mo
Median income: $116,068
Crime index: 116
Schools: A
Weather: 66°F

Rent

33% cheaper

Santa Fe rent is 33% cheaper than Seattle

Santa Fe

Winner

$1,685/mo

Seattle

$2,501/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,685 a month in Santa Fe versus $2,501 in Seattle, so Santa Fe is 33% cheaper. That's roughly $816/month back in your pocket — $9,792/year. Over five years that's $48,960 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Seattle, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Santa Fe is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

72% higher

Seattle's median income is 72% higher than Santa Fe

Santa Fe

$67,663

Seattle

Winner

$116,068

What this means for your life

Median household income is $116,068 in Seattle versus $67,663 in Santa Fe, so typical pay runs 72% higher in Seattle — about $48,405 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Seattle is the stronger labor market on paper. Santa Fe can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

35% lower crime

Seattle's crime index is 35% lower than Santa Fe

Santa Fe

179 (100 = avg)

Seattle

Winner

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Seattle's crime index is 116 versus 179 in Santa Fe (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 35% lower in Seattle. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Seattle is the easier city. Santa Fe can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Santa Fe

Santa Fe

A- · 84/100

Seattle

Winner

A · 88/100

What this means for your life

Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Santa Fe — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Santa Fe is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

2% more comfortable

Seattle weather is 2% more comfortable than Santa Fe

Santa Fe

75°F typical

Seattle

Winner

66°F typical

What this means for your life

Seattle scores 2% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 75°F in Santa Fe and 66°F in Seattle. Santa Fe reads as warm weather most of the year; Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Santa Fe's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Seattle is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Santa Fe

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 33% cheaper here at about $1,685 a month. Choose Santa Fe if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Santa Fe report →

Fit check

Who should choose Seattle

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 72% higher ($116,068), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Seattle is the stronger everyday city for households that care about calm streets and usable public schools. Safety and school scores both land here. You will still pick a neighborhood with care, but the citywide baseline is less of a gamble than in Santa Fe.

Open the Seattle report →

Bottom line

Santa Fe vs Seattle, called

If the job market is your priority, Seattle is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Santa Fe pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Seattle offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Santa Fe vs Seattle FAQ

Is Santa Fe cheaper than Seattle?: Yes. Typical rent in Santa Fe is $1,685 a month versus $2,501 in Seattle — 33% cheaper. Median household income is $67,663 in Santa Fe compared with $116,068 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Santa Fe or Seattle?: Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 179 in Santa Fe — 35% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Santa Fe or Seattle?: Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Santa Fe — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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