City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 10.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $110,100 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Boulder, CO ($107,592 → $118,675), while prices change by +10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,106 in Boulder | $90,821 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$123/yr.
35 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$123/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Boulder, CO | Real change, Albuquerque → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,819 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $83,265 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $99,800 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $118,675 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $140,239 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $80,640 | $73,238 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $164,560 | $149,456 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $99,990 | $90,812 (+13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $103,290 | $93,809 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.