City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 14.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $114,100 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +23.7% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Salinas, CA ($107,592 → $133,060), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,125 in Salinas | $87,623 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,232/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
21 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,501/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Salinas, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $77,161 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $93,358 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $111,896 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $133,060 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $157,236 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $100,220 | $87,816 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $135,160 | $118,431 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $83,810 | $73,437 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $134,910 | $118,212 (+23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.