City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 1.7% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $101,700 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,601 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Cleveland, OH ($107,592 → $111,138), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,301 in Cleveland | $101,728 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,058/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 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,601/yr.
74 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,601/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Albuquerque → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,448 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,977 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,461 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,138 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,331 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,470 | $77,791 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $111,310 | $113,233 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,000 | $81,382 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $83,940 | $85,390 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.