City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 13.9% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $113,900 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,501 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Santa Maria, CA ($107,592 → $124,085), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,870 in Santa Maria | $87,820 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $2,746/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% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,501/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; 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; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Albuquerque → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $71,957 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $87,061 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $104,349 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $124,085 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $146,632 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $101,030 | $88,724 (+17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $158,290 | $139,010 (+12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $91,610 | $80,452 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $137,360 | $120,629 (+25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.