City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 5.0% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,000 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,193 in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Spokane, WA ($107,592 → $106,991), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,024 in Spokane | $95,217 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,193/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
54 Fair offer
Spokane, WA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Spokane, WA | Real change, Albuquerque → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,044 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,068 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,974 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,991 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $126,432 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $98,800 | $94,074 (+24.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $130,690 | $124,439 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $86,350 | $82,219 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $111,750 | $106,404 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.