Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Santa Fe, NM
Cooks, Restaurant in the Santa Fe, NM metro area earn a median $37,250 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,476 take-home, or $2,623 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Santa Fe, NM. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,290
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,310
- Medicare (1.45%)$540
- New Mexico income tax$634
- Take-home pay$31,476
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.30% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Santa Fe, NM
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,580 | $14.70 | $26,381 | $2,198 |
| 25th percentile | $34,170 | $16.43 | $29,134 | $2,428 |
| Median (50th) | $37,250 | $17.91 | $31,476 | $2,623 |
| 75th percentile | $42,450 | $20.41 | $35,431 | $2,953 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,720 | $21.98 | $37,917 | $3,160 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New Mexico resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,250 buys in Santa Fe, NM
Prices in Santa Fe, NM are 1.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.08× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,476 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,869 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Santa Fe, NM has 2.0× the national concentration of cooks, restaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Santa Fe, NM ranks #166 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 166 | Santa Fe, NM | $37,250 | $31,476 | $31,869 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in New Mexico
- Albuquerque, NM — $35,190
- Las Cruces, NM — $30,980
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Santa Fe, NM?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Santa Fe, NM metro area is $37,250 a year, or about $17.91 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,170 and $42,450.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Santa Fe, NM?
On the median $37,250 salary, a single filer living in New Mexico takes home about $31,476 a year ($2,623 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $634 in New Mexico taxes in 2026.
Is Santa Fe, NM a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 1.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,869 would in a typical U.S. city. Santa Fe, NM ranks #166 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Santa Fe, NM?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Santa Fe, NM is $1,390 a month ($1,685 for two bedrooms) — 53% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Santa Fe, NM
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $47,290
- Waiter and Waitress — $46,640
- Bartender — $44,250
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,120
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $32,260
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $30,810