City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Baton Rouge, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 5.3% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $105,300 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $955 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Baton Rouge, LA ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Baton Rouge, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 90.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,012 in Baton Rouge | $105,250 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,064/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $48,710 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Baton Rouge, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Baton Rouge |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 74.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 90.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$955/yr.
85 Strong offer
Baton Rouge, LA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$955/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Baton Rouge, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Baton Rouge, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Baton Rouge, LA | Real change, Albuquerque → Baton Rouge |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Baton Rouge, LA | Baton Rouge pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $59,310 | $62,424 (−17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $101,900 | $107,250 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $73,070 | $76,906 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $81,130 | $85,389 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.