City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Augusta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 4.0% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $104,000 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $998 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Augusta, GA ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Augusta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,187 in Augusta | $103,964 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,114/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $45,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Augusta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 70.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$998/yr.
81 Strong offer
Augusta, GA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$998/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Augusta, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Augusta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Augusta, GA | Real change, Albuquerque → Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Augusta, GA | Augusta pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $63,000 | $65,497 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $119,780 | $124,528 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,710 | $79,751 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $87,760 | $91,239 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.