City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Pittsburgh, PA (94.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $99,100 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $499 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Pittsburgh, PA ($107,592 → $110,047), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,084 in Pittsburgh | $100,924 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,077/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$499/yr.
72 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$499/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Albuquerque → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $63,815 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,211 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $92,543 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $110,047 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $130,042 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,550 | $77,258 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $124,500 | $125,651 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $76,940 | $77,651 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $82,370 | $83,131 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.