City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Boise City, ID
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 3.0% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $103,000 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $623 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Boise City, ID ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Boise City, ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 98.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,978 in Boise City | $97,108 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,381/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,988 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,192 (ID) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,100 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Boise City, ID.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Boise City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 105.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 70.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 98.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$623/yr.
60 Fair offer
Boise City, ID → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$623/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Boise City, ID is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Boise City, ID at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Boise City, ID | Real change, Albuquerque → Boise City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Boise City, ID | Boise City pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $61,230 | $59,460 (−21.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $131,590 | $127,785 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,700 | $74,482 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $97,880 | $95,050 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.