City profile
Albuquerque, NM cost of living
NM · BLS RPP 93.4
Overall RPP
93.4
US = 100
Housing RPP
88.7
Housing component
Goods RPP
97.6
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,222/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Albuquerque, NM sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#56 of 67
-6.6 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-5.0
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#55 of 67
-384/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Albuquerque, NM
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Albuquerque, NM metro.
Moved in
38,793
people · 22,815 households
Moved out
38,484
people · 22,234 households
Net
+309
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#28 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+413
median -104 people
Largest flow share
5% in / 4% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Santa Fe County, NM 2,039
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,045
- McKinley County, NM 955
- Doña Ana County, NM 614
- Los Angeles County, CA 609
Where residents moved to
- Santa Fe County, NM 1,414
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,240
- Doña Ana County, NM 501
- Clark County, NV 432
- McKinley County, NM 398
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Albuquerque, NM?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Albuquerque, NM | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,700 | $50,000 x (93.4/100) |
| $75,000 | $70,050 | $75,000 x (93.4/100) |
| $100,000 | $93,400 | $100,000 x (93.4/100) |
| $125,000 | $116,750 | $125,000 x (93.4/100) |
| $150,000 | $140,100 | $150,000 x (93.4/100) |
| $200,000 | $186,800 | $200,000 x (93.4/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
New Mexico income tax 1.7%-5.9%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Albuquerque, NM?
- Albuquerque, NM has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 93.4 (US average = 100). It is 6.6% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Albuquerque, NM?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $93,400 in Albuquerque, NM to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Albuquerque, NM?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Albuquerque, NM is approximately $1,222 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Albuquerque, NM?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 38,793 people moved into the Albuquerque, NM metro and 38,484 moved out — a net gain of roughly 309 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Santa Fe County, NM.
Curated nearby & similar cities
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These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Albuquerque, NM, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
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