Living in Santa Fe....a realistic view.
-
1/12/2016
I have read many comments about the high costs of living in a place like Santa Fe and would like to add my 2 cents. If you have lived in higher cost of living areas such as the East Coast or SoCal you will not find Santa Fe expensive...it will be quite comparable. The City Different has set aside areas where housing is affordable 200K or under to buy. Sure, there are plenty of areas that have housing that is much higher than that...but the point is that this is reasonable for a Capitol city and tourist area.
Rents are not the cheapest- but then again, consider where you are moving to. There are cheaper areas that surround SF where the rents do go down if you are willing to commute.
I find food costs to be the same as the other places that I have lived. Utilities are a bit cheaper and with the mild climate more affordable.
Santa Fe is a place that is inhabited by different sectors of society: the local hispanic/white community, the artistic community, government and town workers, health workers, Native Americans, etc., etc. It is culturally a family oriented place with lots of visitors. That is not to say that aren't plenty of singles...there are but expect that overall they are a bit older.
I find that the beauty and cultural opportunities override the other deficits that the City Different has. You have to know why you want to come here and know what you are facing when you do.
Kay | Simi Valley, CA