City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 7.3% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $107,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $499 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Philadelphia, PA ($107,592 → $117,284), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,335 in Philadelphia | $93,167 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,520/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% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$499/yr.
47 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$499/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Albuquerque → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,013 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $82,289 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $98,630 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $117,284 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $138,595 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $78,570 | $73,201 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $133,040 | $123,949 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $85,990 | $80,114 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $101,180 | $94,266 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.