City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Bridgeport, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 11.8% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $111,800 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $356 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Bridgeport, CT ($107,592 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Bridgeport, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 106.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,846 in Bridgeport | $89,409 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $61,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 150.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 147.1 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 106.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$356/yr.
25 Weak offer
Bridgeport, CT → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$356/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Bridgeport, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Bridgeport, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Bridgeport, CT | Real change, Albuquerque → Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $72,737 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $88,005 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $105,481 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $125,431 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $148,222 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Bridgeport, CT | Bridgeport pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $98,600 | $88,157 (+16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $162,650 | $145,424 (+17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $102,020 | $91,215 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $105,660 | $94,470 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.