City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Bakersfield, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 5.6% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,600 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Bakersfield, CA ($107,592 → $124,085), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Bakersfield, CA: 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 | Bakersfield, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,589 in Bakersfield | $94,707 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,140/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 90.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
52 Fair offer
Bakersfield, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,501/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Bakersfield, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Bakersfield, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Bakersfield, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $71,957 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $87,061 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $104,349 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $124,085 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $146,632 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,900 | $75,671 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $130,330 | $123,431 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,620 | $75,406 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $128,810 | $121,992 (+27.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.