with $100k coming in, swapping out of Tucson

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

from tucson

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

$328

more expensive each month than Tucson

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

3% more expensive than Tucson(vs $1,444/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$283/mo more in state tax than Tucson

vs 2.5% in Tucson

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$328 less than Tucson

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

04a house here

$351k

0% more expensive than Tucson

vs $352k in Tucson

05metro size

924k

vs 1.1M in Tucson

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Tucson only manages 202 of those.

Things to do run about even with Tucson.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

23% higher than Tucson

vs 66/100 in Tucson

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

40% higher than Tucson

vs 67/100 in Tucson

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

44% more than Tucson

vs 16 nonstops in Tucson

04 · see also

same energy as albuquerque, different zip code:

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