City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 3.9% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $103,900 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- 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 Fayetteville, NC ($107,592 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,266 in Fayetteville | $103,879 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,113/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$88/yr.
81 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$88/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Albuquerque → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,453 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,983 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,468 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,147 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,342 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $54,350 | $56,458 (−25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $122,900 | $127,668 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $78,560 | $81,607 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $83,060 | $86,282 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.