on $100k a year, leaving Gainesville

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

next stop after gainesville

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

$335

more each month than Gainesville ran you

You'd pay for Albuquerque. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

9% cheaper than Gainesville(vs $1,645/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$492/mo more in state tax than Gainesville

vs 0% in Gainesville

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$335 less than Gainesville

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

04a house here

$351k

11% more expensive than Gainesville

vs $317k in Gainesville

05metro size

924k

vs 350k in Gainesville

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Gainesville has the edge here, logging 206 pleasant days a year. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs Gainesville's 17.

A real upgrade on things to do: 14.0× Gainesville's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

29% higher than Gainesville

vs 63/100 in Gainesville

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

3% higher than Gainesville

vs 91/100 in Gainesville

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

360% more than Gainesville

vs 5 nonstops in Gainesville

04 · see also

same energy as albuquerque, different zip code:

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