City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 8.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $108,100 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,278 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Phoenix, AZ ($107,592 → $111,338), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,132 in Phoenix | $92,479 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,278/yr.
45 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,278/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Albuquerque → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,564 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $78,117 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,629 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,338 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,568 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $59,180 | $54,729 (−27.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $131,750 | $121,842 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,820 | $74,742 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $100,830 | $93,247 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.