City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Indianapolis, IN (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $100,200 in Indianapolis, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $649 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Indianapolis, IN ($107,592 → $107,428), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,157 in Indianapolis | $99,843 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$649/yr.
68 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$649/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Albuquerque → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,297 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,374 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $90,341 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $107,428 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $126,947 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $60,510 | $60,415 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $106,870 | $106,702 (−13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,290 | $79,166 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $84,230 | $84,098 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.