City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 8.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $108,900 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,166 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Tuscaloosa, AL ($107,592 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,811 in Tuscaloosa | $108,919 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,166/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,166/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Albuquerque → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,344 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,431 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $90,410 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $107,510 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $127,044 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $60,220 | $65,591 (−13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $104,870 | $114,223 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $71,690 | $78,084 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $75,250 | $81,962 (−14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.