City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 4.7% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $104,700 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Kennewick, WA ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,744 in Kennewick | $95,471 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
55 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Kennewick, WA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Albuquerque → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $100,380 | $95,833 (+26.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $127,800 | $122,011 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $93,280 | $89,055 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $106,410 | $101,590 (+5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.