City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 5.0% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,000 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $430 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Detroit, MI ($107,592 → $117,402), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,974 in Detroit | $95,262 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$430/yr.
54 Fair offer
Detroit, MI → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$430/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Detroit, MI | Real change, Albuquerque → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,081 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $82,372 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $98,729 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $117,402 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $138,734 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $65,210 | $62,120 (−17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $130,760 | $124,565 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,650 | $76,829 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $97,280 | $92,671 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.