Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Albuquerque?

Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,040, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Albuquerque?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $36,000 in Albuquerque.

Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Albuquerque?

Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Albuquerque under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Aberdeen vs Albuquerque Cost of Living 2026

Aberdeen

South Dakota

$740/mo est.

Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,040/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $740 in Aberdeen, SD versus $1,040 in Albuquerque, NM. Overall, Aberdeen, SD is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Albuquerque, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,715 in Aberdeen, SD and $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM — about 3% higher in Albuquerque, NM. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Aberdeen, SD

Albuquerque, NM

Rent

Studio

$529

$797

+51% in Albuquerque, NM

1 Bedroom

$576

$889

+54% in Albuquerque, NM

2 Bedroom

$824

$1,140

+38% in Albuquerque, NM

3 Bedroom

$924

$1,459

+58% in Albuquerque, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$205,500

$266,700

+30% in Albuquerque, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$63,715

$65,604

+3% in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$48,060

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.8 yr

38.7 yr

+2.9 yr in Albuquerque, NM

Homeownership

58.4%

61.5%

+3.1 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.6%

38.7%

+5.1 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Avg Commute

11.1 min

22.2 min

+11.1 min in Albuquerque, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

275

1,194.3

+334% in Albuquerque, NM

Property Crime

1,421.2

4,766.6

+235% in Albuquerque, NM

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

43.0°F

57.2°F

+14.2°F in Albuquerque, NM

Annual Precipitation

21.7 in

9.4 in

+12.3 in in Aberdeen, SD

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Aberdeen, SD

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

Free

Adult base one-way fare — — vs ABQ RIDE (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

15.1

+2% in Aberdeen, SD

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$9.31

+39% in Aberdeen, SD

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Albuquerque, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Albuquerque, NM

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Aberdeen, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Albuquerque, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Aberdeen, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Albuquerque, NM

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / NM)

4.2%

4.875%

+0.7 pp in NM

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.90%

+5.9 pp in NM

Aberdeen vs Albuquerque — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Albuquerque?: Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,040, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Albuquerque?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $36,000 in Albuquerque.
Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Albuquerque?: Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Albuquerque under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).