Route comparison
Denver, CO vs Albuquerque, NM: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Denver, CO and Albuquerque, NM. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Denver, CO
CO
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 107.4
- Housing RPP
- 145.8
- Goods RPP
- 105.5
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,201/mo
Colorado flat income tax 4.4%. Denver city tax 2.25% on wages.
Albuquerque, NM
NM
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.4
- Housing RPP
- 88.7
- Goods RPP
- 97.6
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,222/mo
New Mexico income tax 1.7%-5.9%.
Equivalent salary
Albuquerque, NM is cheaper than Denver, CO by about 13.0% (RPP 107.4 to 93.4).
$60,000 in Denver, CO
-> $52,179
in Albuquerque, NM
$100,000 in Denver, CO
-> $86,965
in Albuquerque, NM
$150,000 in Denver, CO
-> $130,447
in Albuquerque, NM
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.
Migration signal: Denver, CO vs Albuquerque, NM
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Denver, CO
- Net people
- −9,607
- Net rank
- #49 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Boulder County, CO. Largest destination: Weld County, CO.
Albuquerque, NM
- Net people
- +309
- Net rank
- #28 of 65
- Top origin share
- 5%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Santa Fe County, NM. Largest destination: Santa Fe County, NM.
Rent delta: Albuquerque, NM is $979/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Denver, CO. Housing RPP moves from 145.8 to 88.7.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Albuquerque, NM cheaper or more expensive than Denver, CO?
- Albuquerque, NM (RPP 93.4) is cheaper than Denver, CO (RPP 107.4) by about 13.0%.
- What salary do I need in Albuquerque, NM if I earn $100,000 in Denver, CO?
- You would need approximately $86,965 in Albuquerque, NM to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Denver, CO. Formula: $100,000 x (93.4 / 107.4).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Denver, CO or Albuquerque, NM?
- For 2021-2022, Denver, CO had a net loss of 9,607 people, while Albuquerque, NM had a net gain of 309 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.