City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 6.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $106,300 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,351 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Eugene, OR ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,303 in Eugene | $94,071 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,351/yr.
50 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,351/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Eugene, OR | Real change, Albuquerque → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $64,260 | $60,450 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $121,050 | $113,873 (−7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,930 | $75,191 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $113,720 | $106,978 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.