Cost of living in Albuquerque: rent, homes and salary
Cost of living in Albuquerque comes in 4.5% under the US average. For 2024, BEA's regional price parity (RPP) for Albuquerque, NM metro area stands at 95.5, with the US at 100 and housing alone at 89.2.
- Level of prices
- 95.5US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 89.2. Rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Albuquerque
A regional price parity compares the price of the same basket of goods and services in one place to the US average, set at 100. The Albuquerque, NM metro area includes Albuquerque, and BEA prices that entire area together. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 77.9, which puts them 22.1% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Albuquerque, NM metro | New Mexico | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 95.5 | 92.2 | −4.5% |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 | −3.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 89.2 | 73.6 | −10.8% |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 77.9 | −22.1% |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.5 | −1.5% |
The 2024 regional price parities, broken out by metro area and state, are published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parities
Albuquerque rent
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts typical asking rent in Albuquerque at $1,452 a month. It measures rent on homes listed now, and the figure is up 1.4% over a year. Across the US, the same figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,227, and it covers every renting household, not just new leases. Twelve months of the asking rent adds up to 24% of the median household income.
| Rent | Albuquerque | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,452 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.4% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,227 | $1,487 |
| How much of median income a year of asking rent takes up | 24% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024. The Census figures are one-year estimates.
Albuquerque home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical home in Albuquerque at $344,199. It measures value for a home in the middle of the market. Year over year, the change is +1.7%. The US figure is $366,157. The price equals 4.8 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Albuquerque | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $344,199 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.7% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +89.3% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 19.8 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast and the price chart since 2000: Albuquerque housing market.
Salary you need to live in Albuquerque
Two questions set the salary in Albuquerque: where you live, and what you earn. That salary buys what your pay buys today.
- Moving away from
- Salary
Every city side by side, plus the method: city cost of living comparison.
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Cost of living in Albuquerque compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rent level | Typical value of a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 95.5 | 89.2 | $1,452 | $344,199 |
| Santa Fe | 98.8 | 108.0 | $1,956 | $576,890 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
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