City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 11.6% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $111,600 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Sacramento, CA ($107,592 → $117,984), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,643 in Sacramento | $89,572 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,832/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; 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; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,419 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $82,780 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $99,218 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $117,984 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $139,422 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $103,390 | $92,608 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $139,640 | $125,078 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $92,110 | $82,504 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $171,460 | $153,579 (+59.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.