City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 2.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $102,700 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,166 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Huntsville, AL ($107,592 → $110,847), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,411 in Huntsville | $102,658 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,166/yr.
77 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,166/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Albuquerque → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,279 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,772 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,216 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $110,847 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $130,987 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $62,250 | $63,905 (−15.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $128,080 | $131,485 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,220 | $81,326 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $77,090 | $79,139 (−17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.