Head to head
Albuquerque, NM vs Kansas City, MO
Albuquerque is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $7/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $1,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Kansas City is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Albuquerque59 | Kansas City69 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,812 | $3,819 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,075 | $8,719 |
| Salary for comfort | $69,000/yr | $70,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,464 | $1,358 |
| Median home value | $266,700 | $227,000 |
| Median household income | $65,604 | $67,449 |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 3.6% |
| Housing score | 59 | 79 |
| Jobs score | 25 | 84 |
| Safety score | 33 | 16 |
| Climate score | 100 | 96 |
| Amenities score | 40 | 54 |
| Population | 562.5K | 508.2K |
| Summer high / winter low | 90° / 26° | 90° / 22° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Albuquerque, NM
Kansas City, MO