$100k salary, packing up from Lansing

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

next stop after lansing

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

$367

the monthly premium over Lansing

Albuquerque costs more than Lansing, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

18% more expensive than Lansing(vs $1,259/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$137/mo more in state tax than Lansing

vs 4.25% in Lansing

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$367 less than Lansing

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

04a house here

$351k

44% more expensive than Lansing

vs $244k in Lansing

05metro size

924k

vs 473k in Lansing

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Lansing only logs 153 pleasant days. Summers run hot, though: 34 days above 95° vs Lansing's 0.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.3× more on the calendar than Lansing.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

42% higher than Lansing

vs 57/100 in Lansing

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

18% higher than Lansing

vs 80/100 in Lansing

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

283% more than Lansing

vs 6 nonstops in Lansing

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