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Bernalillo County · New Mexico · West · 562k residents

Albuquerque, NM: cost of living, taxes & quality of life

Residential facts for Albuquerque: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the New Mexico median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.

Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.

The median home value in Albuquerque is $330,000, 65% above the New Mexico median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,400/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 92 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $62,000 a year.

What the numbers show

Source-confirmed findings

Limited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.

This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.

What makes this place distinctive

A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.

A high-desert city where Indigenous, Hispanic, and Southwestern traditions meet a wide sky.

Known for: Ballooning, chile, Pueblo and Hispanic heritage, desert landscapes, and Route 66.

Calendar note: The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the city’s signature event.

Story source: Visit Albuquerque

  • Scale: A large city with a quarter-million or more residents in the profile data.
  • Setting: The profile places Albuquerque about 14 miles from the nearest tracked mountain.
  • Climate signal: The profile records 278 sunny days.
  • Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 43 and an average commute of 23 minutes.

WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.

Compare Albuquerque side by side

Cost of living index

92

cheaper than 66% of US cities

Median home value

$330,000

+65% vs state median≈ US median

2-bedroom rent

$1,400/mo

≈ US median

Median household income

$62,000

+6.3% vs state medianhigher than 23% of US cities

Housing momentum

How fast Albuquerque's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.

40/100

Steady

Rents YoY: +0.3% (bottom 21%)Home prices MoM: +0.1% (top 23%)Home prices YoY: +1.0% (near US average)
Momentum slowing · 14 over 2 yr

Ranks Albuquerque's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.

$a year

Adjusted by Albuquerque's cost-of-living index versus the US average.

All facets · Albuquerque
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Real listings in Albuquerque

Homes on ZillowRealtor.comRentals on ZillowApartments.com

Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.

Questions & answers
What is the cost of living in Albuquerque, NM?
Albuquerque indexes at 92 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,400/mo and a median home value of $330,000.
How much does a house cost in Albuquerque?
The median home value in Albuquerque is $330,000, 65% above the New Mexico median (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
How much is rent in Albuquerque?
A two-bedroom in Albuquerque rents for about $1,400/mo.