City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 6.6% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $106,600 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,085 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Portland, ME ($107,592 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,606 in Portland | $93,803 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,085/yr.
46 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,085/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Portland, ME | Real change, Albuquerque → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,905 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,579 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $101,375 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,548 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $142,452 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,770 | $72,013 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $128,710 | $120,734 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $79,790 | $74,846 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $88,470 | $82,988 (−13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.