Los Alamos, NM vs Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is moderately more affordable than Los Alamos, with a 11% lower cost of living index. Los Alamos scores 110 compared to 99 for Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Los Alamos can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Los Alamos is $1,304/month compared to $990/month in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque — a 32% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is more affordable at $442,100 median vs $458,200.

Median household income in Los Alamos is $136,502 compared to $70,801 in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque (+92.8%). While Los Alamos is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Los Alamos spend roughly 11.5% of their income on rent, less than the 16.8% in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.