same $100k income, fresh start from Baltimore

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

next stop after baltimore

Albuquerque

nm · metro 924k

photo: Lad Fury / pexels

a dispatch from

albuquerque

NM

35.08°N

106.65°W

Albuquerque is green chile on everything, the Sandia Mountains turning pink at sunset (the name literally means watermelon), and the Balloon Fiesta in October when 500+ hot air balloons fill the sky. The old town adobes feel like the 1700s, the food fuses Native, Mexican, and Spanish in ways you won't get anywhere else. Breaking Bad fans will recognize half the city, and locals are good-natured about it.

metro924k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$571

under Baltimore, every month

Not a fortune, but real money. Albuquerque runs cheaper than Baltimore month over month.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

20% cheaper than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$192/mo less in state tax than Baltimore

vs 8.2% in Baltimore

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$571 more than Baltimore

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$351k

15% cheaper than Baltimore

vs $412k in Baltimore

05metro size

924k

vs 2.8M in Baltimore

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Baltimore only logs 168 pleasant days. Hot stretches show up, though: 34 days above 95° here, 4 in Baltimore.

Noticeably quieter than Baltimore. About 37% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

23% higher than Baltimore

vs 66/100 in Baltimore

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

4% lower than Baltimore

vs 98/100 in Baltimore

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

68% fewer than Baltimore

vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as albuquerque:

see also

spartanburg

$5/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

greenville

more things to do

turn the page

see also

spokane

$460/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare albuquerque with:

SpartanburgGreenvilleSpokane