Is Albuquerque cheaper than Cleveland?

No. Cleveland is cheaper: typical rent is $1,279 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 13% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $37,271 in Cleveland, so Albuquerque has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Cleveland?

Cleveland is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 86 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 52% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Cleveland?

School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Cleveland. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs Cleveland, OH

Albuquerque, NM versus Cleveland, OH is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,464 a month in Albuquerque and $1,279 in Cleveland, and median household income lands at $61,503 versus $37,271. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Albuquerque takes job market, while Cleveland takes affordability, safety, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Albuquerque leads by 65% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Albuquerque can feel further apart than Albuquerque and Cleveland do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and Cleveland reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Albuquerque report Full Cleveland report

Albuquerque, NM

Rent: $1,464/mo
Median income: $61,503
Crime index: 179
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

Cleveland, OH

Rent: $1,279/mo
Median income: $37,271
Crime index: 86
Schools: A-
Weather: 69°F

Rent

13% cheaper

Cleveland rent is 13% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,464/mo

Cleveland

Winner

$1,279/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,279 a month in Cleveland versus $1,464 in Albuquerque, so Cleveland is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,220 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Cleveland still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Albuquerque.

Median income

65% higher

Albuquerque's median income is 65% higher than Cleveland

Albuquerque

Winner

$61,503

Cleveland

$37,271

What this means for your life

Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque versus $37,271 in Cleveland, so typical pay runs 65% higher in Albuquerque — about $24,232 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Albuquerque is the stronger labor market on paper. Cleveland can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

52% lower crime

Cleveland's crime index is 52% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

Cleveland

Winner

86 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Cleveland's crime index is 86 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 52% lower in Cleveland. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Cleveland is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Albuquerque and Cleveland are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

Cleveland

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in Cleveland). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

63% more comfortable

Cleveland weather is 63% more comfortable than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

86°F typical

Cleveland

Winner

69°F typical

What this means for your life

Cleveland scores 63% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 86°F in Albuquerque and 69°F in Cleveland. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; Cleveland reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Cleveland is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Albuquerque can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Albuquerque

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Albuquerque is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 65% higher here ($61,503). Start with Albuquerque if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose Cleveland

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Cleveland is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,279 a month. Choose Cleveland if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Pick Cleveland if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (69°F) beat Albuquerque on this page's weather index by 63%. Albuquerque may pay more or cost less, but Cleveland is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Cleveland is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 52% lower than Albuquerque (86 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Cleveland report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs Cleveland, called

If the job market is your priority, Albuquerque is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Cleveland pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Cleveland offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Albuquerque vs Cleveland FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than Cleveland?: No. Cleveland is cheaper: typical rent is $1,279 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 13% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $37,271 in Cleveland, so Albuquerque has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Cleveland?: Cleveland is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 86 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 52% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Cleveland?: School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Cleveland. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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