Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Columbus?

Albuquerque, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Columbus, GA's $1,080, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $35,000 in Columbus.

Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Columbus?

Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Columbus under Georgia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.19% and a 4% state sales tax).

Albuquerque vs Columbus Cost of Living 2026

Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,030/mo est.

Columbus

Georgia

$1,080/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 $1,080 in Columbus, GA. Overall, Albuquerque, NM is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Columbus, GA, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM and $56,622 in Columbus, GA — about 14% higher in Albuquerque, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Georgia has a top state income tax rate of 5.19% and a 4% state sales tax.

Albuquerque, NM

Columbus, GA

Rent

Studio

$797

$826

+4% in Columbus, GA

1 Bedroom

$889

$875

+2% in Albuquerque, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,140

$991

+13% in Albuquerque, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,459

$1,221

+16% in Albuquerque, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,700

$182,300

+32% in Albuquerque, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$65,604

$56,622

+14% in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,060

$43,540

+9% in Albuquerque, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.7 yr

35.1 yr

+3.6 yr in Albuquerque, NM

Homeownership

61.5%

50.2%

+11.3 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.7%

29.7%

+9.0 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Avg Commute

22.2 min

20.2 min

+2.0 min in Albuquerque, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,194.3

612.3

+49% in Albuquerque, NM

Property Crime

4,766.6

2,273.4

+52% 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

65.7°F

+8.5°F in Columbus, GA

Annual Precipitation

9.4 in

46.8 in

+37.3 in in Columbus, GA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.86/gal

+7% in Columbus, GA

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

Free

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

15.8

+12% in Columbus, GA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$33.28

+180% in Columbus, GA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Albuquerque, NM

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Albuquerque, NM

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Columbus, GA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Albuquerque, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Albuquerque, NM

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Albuquerque, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NM / GA)

4.875%

+0.9 pp in NM

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

5.19%

+0.7 pp in NM

Albuquerque vs Columbus — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Columbus?: Albuquerque, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Columbus, GA's $1,080, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Columbus?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $35,000 in Columbus.
Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Columbus?: Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Columbus under Georgia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.19% and a 4% 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).