City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 5.7% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,700 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Reno, NV ($107,592 → $106,855), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,723 in Reno | $94,587 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
52 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Reno, NV | Real change, Albuquerque → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,965 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,972 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,859 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,855 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $126,271 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $62,430 | $59,051 (−21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $125,710 | $118,905 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,370 | $77,911 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $107,520 | $101,700 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.