CostIndexUSA

Albuquerque, NM vs Columbus, OH Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNM
Albuquerque
95.5
overall index
$1,525/mo rent
OH
Columbus
95.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Albuquerque and Columbus have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing1.5%
Albuquerque
89.2
Columbus
87.9
🛒 Groceries2.6%
Albuquerque
96.1
Columbus
93.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Albuquerque
103.5
Columbus
103.9
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Albuquerque
93.6
Columbus
94
Utilities+22.6%
Albuquerque
77.9
Columbus
95.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Albuquerque to see what you'd need to earn in Columbus to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Columbus, OH
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (95.5 ÷ 95.5) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albuquerque, NM

Median Home Price
$340,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,525
Housing Index
89.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.6×

Columbus, OH

Median Home Price
$317,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
87.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.2×

Albuquerque has 1.5% lower housing costs compared to Columbus.

Income & Job Market

Albuquerque, NM

Median Household Income
$67,600
Per Capita Income
$38,500
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
564,559
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationMilitaryTechnology

Columbus, OH

Median Household Income
$77,400
Per Capita Income
$44,100
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
905,748
Top Industries
FinanceRetailHealthcareEducationGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Albuquerque, NM
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Columbus, OH
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.