City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Cincinnati, OH (95.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $99,800 in Cincinnati, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,601 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Cincinnati, OH ($107,592 → $110,865), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,816 in Cincinnati | $100,185 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,601/yr.
69 Fair offer
Cincinnati, OH → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,601/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Albuquerque → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,290 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,785 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,231 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $110,865 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,009 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $64,740 | $64,859 (−14.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $121,420 | $121,644 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,640 | $80,789 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $83,650 | $83,804 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.