City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 17.8% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $117,800 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,291 a year higher in New York, NY than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to New York, NY ($107,592 → $125,431), while prices change by +17.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,810 in New York | $84,882 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,291/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | New York, NY | Real change, Albuquerque → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $72,737 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $88,005 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $105,481 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $125,431 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $148,222 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | New York, NY | New York pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $96,900 | $82,251 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $166,830 | $141,609 (+14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $105,650 | $89,678 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $119,720 | $101,621 (+5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.