City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 3.2% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $103,200 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Waco, TX ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,864 in Waco | $103,237 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
79 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Waco, TX | Real change, Albuquerque → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $59,100 | $61,013 (−19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $123,080 | $127,064 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,140 | $78,605 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $92,890 | $95,897 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.