City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 10.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $110,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,351 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Portland, OR ($107,592 → $114,684), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,335 in Portland | $90,633 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,351/yr.
35 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,351/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Portland, OR | Real change, Albuquerque → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $66,505 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $80,465 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $96,443 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $114,684 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $135,522 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $82,330 | $74,618 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $156,000 | $141,387 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $92,200 | $83,563 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $130,310 | $118,104 (+23.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.