Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Fort Wayne?

Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.

Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Fort Wayne?

Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Fort Wayne under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax).

Albuquerque vs Fort Wayne Cost of Living 2026

Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,030/mo est.

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/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 $960 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Albuquerque, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 8% higher in Albuquerque, NM. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Albuquerque, NM

Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio

$797

$798

+0% in Fort Wayne, IN

1 Bedroom

$889

$782

+12% in Albuquerque, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,140

$984

+14% in Albuquerque, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,459

$1,100

+25% in Albuquerque, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,700

$169,700

+36% in Albuquerque, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$65,604

$60,293

+8% in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,060

$47,700

+1% in Albuquerque, NM

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.7 yr

35.0 yr

+3.7 yr in Albuquerque, NM

Homeownership

61.5%

62.2%

+0.7 pp in Fort Wayne, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.7%

28.5%

+10.2 pp in Albuquerque, NM

Avg Commute

22.2 min

21.4 min

+0.8 min in Albuquerque, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,194.3

308.9

+74% in Albuquerque, NM

Property Crime

4,766.6

2,245.4

+53% 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

50.5°F

+6.7°F in Albuquerque, NM

Annual Precipitation

9.4 in

38.3 in

+28.9 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.94/gal

+9% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

Free

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

18.1

+29% in Fort Wayne, IN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$13.70

+15% in Fort Wayne, IN

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 Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Albuquerque, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Fort Wayne, IN

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 / IN)

4.875%

+2.1 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

2.95%

+3.0 pp in NM

Albuquerque vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Fort Wayne?: Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Albuquerque, NM's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Fort Wayne?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Fort Wayne?: Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Fort Wayne under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).