$100k a year, no longer in Minneapolis

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

from minneapolis

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

$353

under Minneapolis, every month

Albuquerque is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

11% cheaper than Minneapolis(vs $1,679/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$163/mo less in state tax than Minneapolis

vs 7.85% in Minneapolis

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$353 more than Minneapolis

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

04a house here

$351k

12% cheaper than Minneapolis

vs $398k in Minneapolis

05metro size

924k

vs 3.7M in Minneapolis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Minneapolis barely cracks 147 pleasant ones. Summers run hot, though: 34 days above 95° vs Minneapolis's 1.

Lighter on events: Minneapolis packs 3.7× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

7% higher than Minneapolis

vs 76/100 in Minneapolis

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

1% higher than Minneapolis

vs 93/100 in Minneapolis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

82% fewer than Minneapolis

vs 130 nonstops in Minneapolis

04 · see also

neighbors of albuquerque on the map of tradeoffs:

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