same $100k income, fresh start from San Francisco

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

if you left san francisco

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

$1,941

cheaper each month than San Francisco

Albuquerque is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

53% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$283/mo less in state tax than San Francisco

vs 9.3% in San Francisco

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$1,941 more than San Francisco

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

04a house here

$351k

72% cheaper than San Francisco

vs $1239k in San Francisco

05metro size

924k

vs 4.6M in San Francisco

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

San Francisco actually gets more: 312 pleasant days a year. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs San Francisco's 0.

Noticeably quieter than San Francisco. About 84% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

2% lower than San Francisco

vs 83/100 in San Francisco

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

5% lower than San Francisco

vs 99/100 in San Francisco

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

79% fewer than San Francisco

vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco

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