City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 4.8% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $104,800 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,238 in Greeley, CO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Greeley, CO ($107,592 → $118,675), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,846 in Greeley | $95,378 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$123/yr.
54 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$123/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Greeley, CO | Real change, Albuquerque → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,819 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $83,265 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $99,800 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $118,675 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $140,239 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $60,160 | $57,379 (−24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $129,480 | $123,496 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $87,240 | $83,208 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $96,300 | $91,849 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.