City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 1.6% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $101,600 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,291 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Rochester, NY ($107,592 → $107,182), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,558 in Rochester | $98,466 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,291/yr.
64 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,291/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Rochester, NY | Real change, Albuquerque → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,155 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,202 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $90,135 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $107,182 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $126,657 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $62,840 | $61,876 (−18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $122,770 | $120,886 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $80,890 | $79,649 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $86,570 | $85,242 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.