City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 2.1% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $102,100 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $499 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Scranton, PA ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,917 in Scranton | $102,127 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$499/yr.
75 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$499/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Scranton, PA | Real change, Albuquerque → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $76,590 | $78,219 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $119,960 | $122,512 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $70,480 | $71,979 (−9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $82,650 | $84,408 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.