with $100k coming in, swapping out of El Paso

change
Albuquerque, NM cityscape

instead of el paso

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

$507

more expensive each month than El Paso

Albuquerque costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

1% more expensive than El Paso(vs $1,473/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$492/mo more in state tax than El Paso

vs 0% in El Paso

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$507 less than El Paso

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

04a house here

$351k

52% more expensive than El Paso

vs $231k in El Paso

05metro size

924k

vs 872k in El Paso

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

El Paso actually gets more: 222 pleasant days a year.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.4× more on the calendar than El Paso.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

25% higher than El Paso

vs 65/100 in El Paso

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

1% higher than El Paso

vs 93/100 in El Paso

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

77% more than El Paso

vs 13 nonstops in El Paso

04 · see also

if albuquerque appeals, also worth a look:

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