City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 4.9% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $104,900 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Las Vegas, NV ($107,592 → $108,719), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Las Vegas, NV: 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 | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,887 in Las Vegas | $95,341 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
54 Fair offer
Las Vegas, NV → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; 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; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Albuquerque → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $63,046 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $76,280 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $91,427 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $108,719 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $128,473 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $65,040 | $62,010 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $129,940 | $123,886 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,530 | $76,778 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $103,940 | $99,097 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.