City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 9.7% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $109,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,708 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Minneapolis, MN ($107,592 → $116,038), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,708 in Minneapolis | $91,151 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,708/yr.
41 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,708/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Albuquerque → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $67,290 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $81,415 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $97,582 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $116,038 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $137,123 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,730 | $72,674 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $130,920 | $119,335 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $86,500 | $78,845 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $103,040 | $93,922 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.