City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Grand Rapids, MI (95.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $430 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Grand Rapids, MI ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,000 in Grand Rapids | $100,000 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$430/yr.
69 Fair offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$430/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Albuquerque → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $61,900 | $61,900 (−18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $107,520 | $107,520 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,270 | $76,270 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $83,920 | $83,920 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.