City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 9.4% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $109,400 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $817 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.2% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Baltimore, MD ($107,592 → $121,785), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,358 in Baltimore | $91,443 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$817/yr.
42 Weak offer
Baltimore, MD → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$817/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Albuquerque → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $70,623 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $85,447 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $102,415 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $121,785 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $143,913 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,400 | $69,862 (−7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $138,900 | $127,014 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $85,160 | $77,873 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $99,550 | $91,031 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.