City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs San Antonio, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and San Antonio, TX (94.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $99,100 in San Antonio, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,177 in San Antonio, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,569 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in San Antonio, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Albuquerque, NM to San Antonio, TX ($107,592 → $108,001), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | San Antonio, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,131 in San Antonio | $100,876 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,177/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 94.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → San Antonio, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,569/yr.
71 Strong offer
San Antonio, TX → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,569/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; San Antonio, TX is in San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to San Antonio, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | San Antonio, TX | Real change, Albuquerque → San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $62,629 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $75,776 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $90,823 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $108,001 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $127,624 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | San Antonio, TX | San Antonio pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $61,720 | $62,261 (−17.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $128,430 | $129,555 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $78,650 | $79,339 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $94,370 | $95,197 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.