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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

next stop after pittsburgh

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

$252

more expensive each month than Pittsburgh

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 Pittsburgh(vs $1,473/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$236/mo more in state tax than Pittsburgh

vs 3.07% in Pittsburgh

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$252 less than Pittsburgh

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

04a house here

$351k

58% more expensive than Pittsburgh

vs $223k in Pittsburgh

05metro size

924k

vs 2.4M in Pittsburgh

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Pittsburgh only manages 161 of those. Warm, not extreme: 34 days clear 95°, vs 0 back in Pittsburgh.

Noticeably quieter than Pittsburgh. About 47% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

17% higher than Pittsburgh

vs 69/100 in Pittsburgh

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

5% lower than Pittsburgh

vs 99/100 in Pittsburgh

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

38% fewer than Pittsburgh

vs 37 nonstops in Pittsburgh

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