City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 16.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $116,300 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.2% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Seattle, WA ($107,592 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,314 in Seattle | $85,974 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Seattle, WA | Real change, Albuquerque → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,373 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $83,935 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $100,602 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $119,630 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $141,367 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $102,920 | $88,485 (+17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $167,280 | $143,818 (+16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $99,370 | $85,433 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $128,260 | $110,271 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.