City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 3.1% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $103,100 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,601 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Dayton, OH ($107,592 → $110,401), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,015 in Dayton | $103,077 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,009/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 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,601/yr.
78 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,601/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Dayton, OH | Real change, Albuquerque → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,021 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,460 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $92,841 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $110,401 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $130,461 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $80,360 | $82,833 (+9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $106,910 | $110,199 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,030 | $81,462 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $82,510 | $85,049 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.