City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Ann Arbor, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 5.6% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,600 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $430 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Ann Arbor, MI ($107,592 → $117,402), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Ann Arbor, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,583 in Ann Arbor | $94,713 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,387/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $55,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Ann Arbor, MI MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Ann Arbor, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Ann Arbor |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 125.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 98.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$430/yr.
52 Fair offer
Ann Arbor, MI → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$430/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Ann Arbor, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Ann Arbor, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Ann Arbor, MI | Real change, Albuquerque → Ann Arbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,081 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $82,372 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $98,729 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $117,402 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $138,734 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Ann Arbor, MI | Ann Arbor pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $64,060 | $60,673 (−19.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $126,830 | $120,124 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,040 | $75,808 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $103,450 | $97,980 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.