City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 7.0% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $107,000 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $998 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Columbus, GA ($107,592 → $112,556), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,459 in Columbus | $106,999 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$998/yr.
91 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$998/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Columbus, GA | Real change, Albuquerque → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $65,271 | +11.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $78,972 | +11.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $94,654 | +11.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $112,556 | +11.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $133,007 | +11.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $61,360 | $65,655 (−13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $116,150 | $124,280 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $73,640 | $78,794 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $82,500 | $88,274 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.