City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Boston, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $113,300 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,211 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Boston, MA ($107,592 → $120,548), while prices change by +13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Boston, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 108.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,313 in Boston | $88,251 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,476/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $66,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 148.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 103.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 108.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,211/yr.
15 Weak offer
Boston, MA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,211/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Boston, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Boston, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Boston, MA | Real change, Albuquerque → Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,905 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,579 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $101,375 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,548 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $142,452 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Boston, MA | Boston pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $98,060 | $86,539 (+14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $166,090 | $146,576 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $100,150 | $88,384 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $106,180 | $93,705 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.