Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Albuquerque, NM?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.
Albuquerque rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Albuquerque, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Albuquerque
View full rent data for Albuquerque, NM →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Albuquerque, NM?
Median rent in Albuquerque is $1,486 a month. A typical registered nurse in New Mexico earns about $85,032 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Albuquerque?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in New Mexico (~$85,032/yr) supports up to $2,126 a month in rent. Albuquerque's current median rent is $1,486/mo, which leaves a $640/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Albuquerque?
At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a registered nurse in New Mexico works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover Albuquerque's median rent of $1,486.
Where is rent cheaper than Albuquerque for a registered nurse?
Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Alamogordo ($1,484/mo), Hobbs ($1,475/mo), Alamogordo ($1,473/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.