City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.0% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $108,000 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $611 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Trenton, NJ ($107,592 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,990 in Trenton | $92,601 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$611/yr.
46 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$611/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Albuquerque → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $72,737 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $88,005 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $105,481 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $125,431 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $148,222 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $77,850 | $72,090 (−4.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $128,770 | $119,243 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $99,550 | $92,185 (+15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $99,990 | $92,592 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.