City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 6.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $106,900 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Little Rock, AR ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,530 in Little Rock | $106,918 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$118/yr.
90 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$118/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Albuquerque → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $58,580 | $62,632 (−17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $104,070 | $111,269 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $65,810 | $70,363 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $81,070 | $86,678 (−9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.