Cost of Living: Denver vs Albuquerque (2026)

The way we see it, So, Denver. Cost index of 106 — whether that matters depends on your situation — , rent at $1,818/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $91,681, which is above average. That alone makes it worth considering (though the trend is moving in the right direction).

The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Denver (index 106 — we had to double-check this one — , rent $1,818); Albuquerque (index 85, rent $1,457). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).

Denver: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Denver earns above the national median ($91,681 — for better or worse — vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 106 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it.

With that foundation in place: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's the kind of affordability that turns 'maybe someday' into 'next month.' (that's pre-tax, of course).

Bottom line: Denver, CO leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And for the typical household, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers. Can we talk about how broken the conversation around affordability is? A city gets labeled 'cheap' and suddenly everyone assumes there's a catch — bad schools, no jobs, nothing to do. But look at the income numbers here. Look at the cost categories. This isn't a budget consolation prize. It's a genuine alternative to the coastal rat race, and the data makes that case more convincingly than any think piece.