City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 8.4% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $108,400 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,236 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Chicago, IL ($107,592 → $118,984), while prices change by +8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,424 in Chicago | $92,230 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,236/yr.
44 Weak offer
Chicago, IL → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,236/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Chicago, IL | Real change, Albuquerque → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,999 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $83,482 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $100,059 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $118,984 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $140,604 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $78,390 | $72,299 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $134,380 | $123,939 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,360 | $75,961 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $100,490 | $92,682 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.