City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 11.4% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $111,400 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Riverside, CA ($107,592 → $124,085), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,404 in Riverside | $89,763 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
32 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,501/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Riverside, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $71,957 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $87,061 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $104,349 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $124,085 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $146,632 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $98,520 | $88,435 (+17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $133,270 | $119,628 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $83,920 | $75,329 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $133,940 | $120,229 (+25.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.