Cost of Living in Albuquerque
Summary of cost of living in Albuquerque, NM, United States:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 3,674.3$, excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 1,018.6$, excluding rent.
- Albuquerque is 15.7% less expensive than Columbus (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Albuquerque is, on average, 16.1% lower than in Columbus.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 17.20 $ | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 68.00 $ | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 10.00 $ | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.00 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 8.00 $ | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.06 $ | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.73 $ | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.84 $ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.04 $ | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 2.69 $ | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 1.55 $ | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 4.41 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.39 $ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 4.53 $ | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 8.47 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.24 $ | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.68 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.75 $ | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.37 $ | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.20 $ | |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.25 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.90 $ | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.35 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 13.50 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.90 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.87 $ | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 10.00 $ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 0.00 $ | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 0.00 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.60 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.20 $ | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 32.00 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 0.79 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 29,500.00 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-size Car) | 25,419.46 $ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 172.51 $ | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 57.79 $ | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 68.80 $ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 43.88 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 14.17 $ | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 14.00 $ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,480.00 $ | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 29,163.00 $ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 47.50 $ | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 50.00 $ | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 105.62 $ | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 107.33 $ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,210.00 $ | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,024.33 $ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,266.67 $ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,035.71 $ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 232.39 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 202.13 $ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 3,930.76 $ | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.42 |
Prices in Albuquerque, New Mexico
This city had 613 entries in the past 12 months by 58 different contributors.
Last update: 23 October 2025
Last update: 23 October 2025
Sources and References
Moving to Albuquerque, NM? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Nearby Cities:| Cost of Living in Belen, New Mexico | 33.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Santa Fe, New Mexico | 63.30 miles |
| Cost of Living in Roswell, New Mexico | 201.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Las Cruces, New Mexico | 222.81 miles |
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$30 in winter (gas heat) $275 highest bill ever One adult 2 elderly dogs Thermastat at 78 in summer with box and ceiling fans
Re: The comments below on the utility costs for A/C... In Albuquerque, air conditioning is usually called "refrigerated air" as opposed to the "swap cooler" evaporative cooling system. My summer electric bill for an uptown 850 sqft apartment, 1 human and 3 cats, with a swamp cooler is $35 (summer 2021 and 2022). HUGE cost difference.
Abq also has a large number of solar users/owners which will skew your end numbers a little because people will be entering 75-100% less for their electricity costs. Maybe include another question that asks if someone has solar on their home and how much it reduced their energy cost or how much they pay for electricity considering they have solar. Asking if payments are being made on the solar would be another important consideration.
For example; for a 2300sf house that has all electric heating, cooking, and car charging and cooling(2 large and 1 small A/C), we pay between $100 and $200 in the summer (June - Sept), however we pay less than $30 in winter (Oct - May).
Just food for thought.