City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Ogden, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 5.0% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $105,000 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,534 in UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Ogden, UT ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Ogden, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,027 in Ogden | $95,214 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $48,900 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Ogden, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Ogden |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 78.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$35/yr.
54 Fair offer
Ogden, UT → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$35/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Ogden, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Ogden, UT | Real change, Albuquerque → Ogden |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Ogden, UT | Ogden pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $63,910 | $60,851 (−19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $109,880 | $104,621 (−15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $82,010 | $78,085 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $81,840 | $77,923 (−18.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.