State overview · NM
What salary do you need to live comfortably in New Mexico? Real data for 1 city, updated June 2026.
| City | Salary needed | Housing / mo | Median salary | Salary gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $101,628 | $1,464 | $48,060 | $53,568 |
Cost of Living in New Mexico
Albuquerque requires an estimated $101,696 per year for a comfortable baseline, running just above the national median of $97,658. That gap between cities nationwide is modest, but the local salary picture tells a harder story. The median local wage sits at $46,940, leaving a shortfall of roughly $54,756 against what residents actually need. Someone earning that median wage covers less than half the required annual income. These figures reflect Albuquerque alone and should not be read as a statewide average for New Mexico.
CityWage currently tracks one city in New Mexico, Albuquerque, so the table below reflects that single data point.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cost of living in Albuquerque, NM?
You need about $101,628 per year to live comfortably in Albuquerque, based on the 50/30/20 budget rule applied to BLS and HUD data.
Does the median salary in Albuquerque cover the cost of living?
Not on its own. The median local salary of $48,060 falls about $53,568 short of the $101,628 needed to live comfortably.
Is Albuquerque above or below the national average?
Albuquerque runs above the national median. It needs $101,628 per year versus the national figure of $97,559.