City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 7.9% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $107,900 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.5% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Dallas, TX ($107,592 → $115,711), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,896 in Dallas | $92,682 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
46 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Dallas, TX | Real change, Albuquerque → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $67,100 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $81,186 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $97,307 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $115,711 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $136,736 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $65,070 | $60,308 (−20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $133,290 | $123,536 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,620 | $76,574 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $101,420 | $93,998 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.