City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 6.9% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $106,900 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Fresno, CA ($107,592 → $106,973), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,920 in Fresno | $93,528 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
49 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,501/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Fresno, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,033 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,055 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,959 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,973 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $126,410 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $78,800 | $73,700 (−2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $129,060 | $120,707 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $78,690 | $73,597 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $125,420 | $117,302 (+22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.