City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 2.8% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $102,800 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $499 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Lancaster, PA ($107,592 → $108,592), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,837 in Lancaster | $97,241 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$499/yr.
60 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$499/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Albuquerque → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,972 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $76,190 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $91,320 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $108,592 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $128,323 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $78,360 | $76,198 (+0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $104,740 | $101,850 (−17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,110 | $74,010 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $89,620 | $87,147 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.