Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Cleveland?

Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $29,000 in Cleveland.

Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Cleveland?

Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Cleveland under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax).

Albuquerque vs Cleveland Cost of Living 2026

Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,030/mo est.

Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Albuquerque, NM versus $940 in Cleveland, OH. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Albuquerque, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM and $39,187 in Cleveland, OH — about 40% higher in Albuquerque, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax.

Albuquerque, NM

Cleveland, OH

Rent

Studio

$797

$678

+15% in Albuquerque, NM

1 Bedroom

$889

$732

+18% in Albuquerque, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,140

$903

+21% in Albuquerque, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,459

$1,081

+26% in Albuquerque, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,700

$94,100

+65% in Albuquerque, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$65,604

$39,187

+40% in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,060

$50,140

+4% in Cleveland, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.7 yr

36.3 yr

+2.4 yr in Albuquerque, NM

Homeownership

61.5%

41.2%

+20.3 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.7%

21.3%

+17.4 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Avg Commute

22.2 min

22.9 min

+0.7 min in Cleveland, OH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,194.3

1,582

+32% in Cleveland, OH

Property Crime

4,766.6

4,531.3

+5% 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

57.2°F

52.7°F

+4.5°F in Albuquerque, NM

Annual Precipitation

9.4 in

36.4 in

+26.9 in in Cleveland, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$4.18/gal

+15% in Cleveland, OH

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Ohio.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

Free

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

19.5

+38% in Cleveland, OH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$22.83

+92% in Cleveland, OH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Albuquerque, NM

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Albuquerque, NM

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Cleveland, OH

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Albuquerque, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Cleveland, OH

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Albuquerque, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NM / OH)

4.875%

5.75%

+0.9 pp in OH

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

2.75%

+3.2 pp in NM

Albuquerque vs Cleveland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Cleveland?: Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Cleveland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $29,000 in Cleveland.
Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Cleveland?: Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Cleveland under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).