Denver vs Albuquerque
Denver, CO · Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque is 23% cheaper than Denver overall.
Home Price
Denver: $565,000
Albuquerque: $285,000
Monthly Rent
Denver: $1,395/mo
Albuquerque: $900/mo
COL Index
Denver: 121
Albuquerque: 93
Median Income
Denver: $85,200
Albuquerque: $57,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Denver has the same purchasing power as $76,860 in Albuquerque — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Albuquerque cost 50% more (-$280,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Albuquerque saves you $495/month — $5,940 per year. Median rent: $1,395/mo in Denver vs $900/mo in Albuquerque.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Denver owners pay roughly $3,108/year in property taxes vs $2,223/year in Albuquerque. That's a $885 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $85,200 in Denver and $57,800 in Albuquerque. Albuquerque residents earn 32% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 26 minutes in Denver vs 22 minutes in Albuquerque. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Denver to Albuquerque, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Denver | Equivalent in Albuquerque | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $38,430 | -$11,570 |
| $75,000 | $57,645 | -$17,355 |
| $100,000 | $76,860 | -$23,140 |
| $150,000 | $115,289 | -$34,711 |
| $200,000 | $153,719 | -$46,281 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Cost of Living
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Denver vs Albuquerque: Common Questions
Is Denver or Albuquerque cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Albuquerque is cheaper overall. Denver has a COL index of 121 while Albuquerque scores 93 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Denver and Albuquerque?
The median home price in Denver is $565,000 vs $285,000 in Albuquerque — a difference of $280,000 (50%).
What salary do I need in Albuquerque to match my Denver income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Denver is equivalent to $76,860 in Albuquerque in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Denver has a lower property tax rate (0.55% vs 0.78%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,223/year vs $3,108/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.