City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 17.1% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $117,100 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to San Diego, CA ($107,592 → $121,585), while prices change by +17.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,103 in San Diego | $85,395 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,459/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% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.1%; 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; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | San Diego, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $70,507 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $85,307 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $102,246 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $121,585 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $143,677 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $97,000 | $82,833 (+9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $163,270 | $139,425 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $96,340 | $82,270 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $139,520 | $119,143 (+24.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.