$100k salary, packing up from Charleston

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

if you left charleston

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

$548

less monthly outlay than Charleston

The gap is real. Albuquerque costs noticeably less than Charleston, every month.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

25% cheaper than Charleston(vs $1,987/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$50/mo less in state tax than Charleston

vs 6.5% in Charleston

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$548 more than Charleston

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

04a house here

$351k

19% cheaper than Charleston

vs $432k in Charleston

05metro size

924k

vs 849k in Charleston

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Charleston actually gets more: 212 pleasant days a year. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs Charleston's 10.

Comparable to Charleston for events and concerts.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

21% higher than Charleston

vs 67/100 in Charleston

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

2% higher than Charleston

vs 92/100 in Charleston

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

15% more than Charleston

vs 20 nonstops in Charleston

04 · see also

cities that play in albuquerque's register:

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