City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Anchorage, AK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $110,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,243 in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.9% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Anchorage, AK ($107,592 → $120,348), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Anchorage, AK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,334 in Anchorage | $90,634 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,243/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (AK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $60,200 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | State of Alaska |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Anchorage, AK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Anchorage |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 109.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 111.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 103.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
39 Weak offer
Anchorage, AK → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Anchorage, AK is in State of Alaska. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Anchorage, AK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Anchorage, AK | Real change, Albuquerque → Anchorage |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,789 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,439 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $101,206 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,348 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $142,216 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Anchorage, AK | Anchorage pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,270 | $71,845 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $104,030 | $94,286 (−23.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,150 | $74,456 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $115,290 | $104,492 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.