Albuquerque, NM Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Albuquerque, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Albuquerque →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Albuquerque, New Mexico runs approximately 562,551. Median household income sits at $61,503, landing below the benchmark median we track across cities (-15%).
For renters and buyers alike, Albuquerque offers a median home value of $246,000 (below the tracked median, -25%) and median rent of $1,014 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Albuquerque's home-price-to-income ratio of about 4.0× is fairly typical — housing costs track reasonably in line with local pay. Year-over-year, home values around Albuquerque are up 2.93%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. FEMA classifies Albuquerque's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,014/mo in Albuquerque would take 19.8% of your income.
$524/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($246,000) would take 25.6% of your income toward principal & interest.
$122/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Albuquerque
Median home value is $246,000 and median gross rent is $1,014/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Bernalillo rose 2.93% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,464/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Albuquerque's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Albuquerque reported a violent crime rate of 1029.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Albuquerque
Planning a move to Albuquerque? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Albuquerque, NM?
- Albuquerque's key cost-of-living figures: $246,000 median home value, $1,014 median monthly rent, and $61,503 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Albuquerque?
- Albuquerque's median rent of $1,014/month works out to roughly $40,560 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Albuquerque.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Albuquerque?
- In Albuquerque, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,014/month) takes about $40,560 in annual income, while buying the median home ($246,000) takes roughly $56,284 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is Albuquerque safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Albuquerque's violent crime rate was 1029.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Albuquerque →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Albuquerque's.
Median rent $1,014/mo · Median income $63,114
Salary breakdown →