City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Buffalo, NY (95.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $100,300 in Buffalo, NY.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,139 in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,291 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Buffalo, NY ($107,592 → $111,301), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,312 in Buffalo | $99,689 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,291/yr.
68 Fair offer
Buffalo, NY → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,291/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Albuquerque → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,543 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $78,091 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,598 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,301 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,525 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,490 | $76,252 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $127,850 | $127,452 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,120 | $81,865 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $99,060 | $98,752 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.