City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $99,500 in St. Louis, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Albuquerque, NM to St. Louis, MO ($107,592 → $109,137), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,521 in St. Louis | $100,482 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$194/yr.
70 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$194/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Albuquerque → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $63,288 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $76,573 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $91,779 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $109,137 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $128,967 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $60,650 | $60,942 (−19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $129,030 | $129,651 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $78,880 | $79,260 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $83,180 | $83,581 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.