City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 2.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $102,100 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Durham, NC ($107,592 → $111,147), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,120 in Durham | $97,924 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$88/yr.
62 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$88/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Durham, NC | Real change, Albuquerque → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,453 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,983 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,468 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,147 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,342 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $51,400 | $50,333 (−33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $135,620 | $132,804 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $85,090 | $83,323 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.