City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 16.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $116,100 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,501 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Urban Honolulu, HI ($107,592 → $111,119), while prices change by +16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,134 in Urban Honolulu | $86,108 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,501/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,501/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Albuquerque → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,438 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,964 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,445 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,119 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,310 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $73,080 | $62,928 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $120,230 | $103,527 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $74,990 | $64,572 (−19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $139,260 | $119,914 (+24.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.