Cost of Living in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Albuquerque, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 556,588
- Median household income
- $71,494
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 95.5
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Is Albuquerque a good place to live?
Albuquerque sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 110 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Albuquerque keeps $8,420 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living4% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,207 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,099 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Albuquerque
Prices in the Albuquerque, NM area run 4% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 22% below the US average.
- Housing11% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)4% below the US average
- Utilities22% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items4% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,207 | $14,484 |
| Food | $475 | $5,700 |
| Transportation | $375 | $4,500 |
| Healthcare | $347 | $4,164 |
| Utilities | $203 | $2,436 |
| Total before taxes | $2,607 | $31,284 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Albuquerque | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,051 | $977 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,207 | $1,112 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,499 | $1,384 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,070 | $1,902 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,436 | $2,242 |
Living in Albuquerque
How Albuquerque compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Albuquerque | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,494 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $324,600 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,227 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 37.5% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 14.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 38.8 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 23.1 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 13.4% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 0.5% | 3.7% |
Home internet
10 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Albuquerque, led by TWN Communications, Xfinity, Lobo Internet Services Ltd, Internet Services LLC. Fiber reaches 16.5% of homes and 42.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Albuquerque
Pros and cons of living in Albuquerque
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 23.1 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,227 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 4% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
Cons
- Patchy fast internet. Only 42.7% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
What your job keeps in Albuquerque
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $48,060
- Federal income tax
- −$3,587
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,677
- State income tax
- −$1,099
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,484
- Everyday costs
- −$16,793
a year, or $702 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Albuquerque, NM. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Albuquerque, NM area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $123,700 | $59,808 |
| Project manager | $106,730 | $48,738 |
| Registered nurse | $96,040 | $41,742 |
| Accountant | $79,880 | $31,159 |
| Teacher | $76,228 | $28,763 |
| Electrician | $59,120 | $16,793 |
| Social worker | $58,939 | $16,656 |
| Truck driver | $55,840 | $14,311 |
| Auto mechanic | $48,820 | $8,998 |
| Medical assistant | $39,200 | $1,682 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Albuquerque on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $17,519
- Civil engineer $47,658
- Data scientist $43,516
- Dental assistant $5,948
- Dental hygienist $41,651
- Dentist $71,152
- Diesel mechanic $16,808
- Financial analyst $35,446
- Firefighter $4,131
- HVAC technician $15,273
- Lawyer $53,896
- Licensed practical nurse $15,469
- Lineman $30,739
- Mechanical engineer $81,387
- Nurse practitioner $70,752
- Nursing assistant $2,252
- Occupational therapist $43,791
- Paralegal $16,982
- Paramedic $16,951
- Pharmacist $74,591
- Pharmacy technician $7,332
- Physical therapist $46,631
- Physician assistant $70,099
- Plumber $20,409
- Police officer $26,892
- Radiologic technologist $31,200
- Respiratory therapist $23,932
- Speech-language pathologist $43,784
- Veterinarian $70,277
- Welder $9,879
Compare Albuquerque with other cities
Compare Albuquerque with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Albuquerque
14 licensed interstate movers are based in Albuquerque, and 1 more elsewhere in the Albuquerque, NM area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Albuquerque, NM a good place to live?
Albuquerque sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 110 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $48,060 and keeps $8,420 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Albuquerque?
Prices in the Albuquerque, NM area are 4% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,207 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,399 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $37,000 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Albuquerque, NM area earns $48,060.
What is the average rent in Albuquerque?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,051 for a studio, $1,207 for a 1-bedroom and $1,499 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Albuquerque at $1,227 a month (2024).
Does Albuquerque have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $48,060, New Mexico state income tax comes to about $1,099 a year. Albuquerque has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Albuquerque?
10 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Albuquerque, led by TWN Communications, Xfinity, Lobo Internet Services Ltd, Internet Services LLC. 16.5% of homes can get fiber and 42.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate