City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 8.5% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $108,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,351 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Salem, OR ($107,592 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,481 in Salem | $92,182 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,351/yr.
44 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,351/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Salem, OR | Real change, Albuquerque → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $66,505 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $80,465 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $96,443 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $114,684 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $135,522 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $74,810 | $68,962 (−8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $131,620 | $121,330 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $87,480 | $80,641 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $131,750 | $121,450 (+26.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.