City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 2.7% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $102,700 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Raleigh, NC ($107,592 → $111,147), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,733 in Raleigh | $97,340 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$88/yr.
60 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$88/yr.
77 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Albuquerque → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,453 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $77,983 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,468 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,147 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,342 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $129,560 | $143,640 | $139,819 (+7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $132,770 | $129,238 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $81,950 | $79,770 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $84,830 | $82,574 (−14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.