City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Kiryas Joel, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 14.5% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $114,500 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,291 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Kiryas Joel, NY ($107,592 → $125,431), while prices change by +14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Kiryas Joel, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 109.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,523 in Kiryas Joel | $87,319 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,549/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $50,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 115.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 136.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 106.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 109.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,291/yr.
37 Weak offer
Kiryas Joel, NY → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Kiryas Joel, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Kiryas Joel, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Kiryas Joel, NY | Real change, Albuquerque → Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $72,737 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $88,005 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $105,481 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $125,431 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $148,222 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Kiryas Joel, NY | Kiryas Joel pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $81,770 | $71,401 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $145,830 | $127,337 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $88,900 | $77,626 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $102,890 | $89,842 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.