City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 4.4% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $104,400 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $356 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Waterbury, CT ($107,592 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.6% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,429 in Waterbury | $95,759 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$356/yr.
55 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$356/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Albuquerque → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $72,737 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $88,005 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $105,481 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $125,431 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $148,222 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,640 | $76,262 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $131,290 | $125,721 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $93,010 | $89,065 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $101,690 | $97,377 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.