City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 2.4% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $102,400 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,367 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Richmond, VA ($107,592 → $111,183), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,420 in Richmond | $97,637 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,367/yr.
61 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,367/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Richmond, VA | Real change, Albuquerque → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $64,475 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $78,009 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $93,499 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $111,183 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $131,385 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $61,290 | $59,842 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $132,120 | $128,999 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $84,220 | $82,230 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $93,580 | $91,369 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.