on $100k a year, leaving Seattle

change
Albuquerque, NM cityscape

instead of seattle

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

$213

under Seattle, every month

Albuquerque gives you room Seattle doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

32% cheaper than Seattle(vs $2,193/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$492/mo more in state tax than Seattle

vs 0% in Seattle

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$213 more than Seattle

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

04a house here

$351k

56% cheaper than Seattle

vs $791k in Seattle

05metro size

924k

vs 4.0M in Seattle

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Seattle barely cracks 182 pleasant ones. Hot stretches show up, though: 34 days above 95° here, 0 in Seattle.

Lighter on events: Seattle packs 6.0× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

13% lower than Seattle

vs 93/100 in Seattle

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

4% lower than Seattle

vs 98/100 in Seattle

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

74% fewer than Seattle

vs 90 nonstops in Seattle

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