City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Atlanta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 4.7% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $104,700 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $998 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Atlanta, GA ($107,592 → $112,556), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Atlanta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,722 in Atlanta | $95,491 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,660/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 111.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$998/yr.
52 Fair offer
Atlanta, GA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$998/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Atlanta, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Atlanta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Atlanta, GA | Real change, Albuquerque → Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $65,271 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $78,972 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $94,654 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $112,556 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $133,007 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Atlanta, GA | Atlanta pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,570 | $73,117 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $132,960 | $126,964 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $85,820 | $81,950 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $100,490 | $95,959 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.