Is Albuquerque cheaper than Laredo?

No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 21% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Albuquerque has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Laredo?

Laredo is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 39% 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 Laredo?

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

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City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs Laredo, TX

Albuquerque, NM versus Laredo, TX 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 $1,161 in Laredo, and median household income lands at $61,503 versus $60,928. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Albuquerque takes job market and weather, while Laredo takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Laredo leads by 39% — 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 Laredo do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and Laredo reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Albuquerque report Full Laredo report

Albuquerque, NM

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

Laredo, TX

Rent: $1,161/mo
Median income: $60,928
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 92°F

Rent

21% cheaper

Laredo rent is 21% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,464/mo

Laredo

Winner

$1,161/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,161 a month in Laredo versus $1,464 in Albuquerque, so Laredo is 21% cheaper. That's roughly $303/month back in your pocket — $3,636/year. Over five years that's $18,180 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Albuquerque, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Laredo is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

1% higher

Albuquerque's median income is 1% higher than Laredo

Albuquerque

Winner

$61,503

Laredo

$60,928

What this means for your life

Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque versus $60,928 in Laredo, so typical pay runs 1% higher in Albuquerque — about $575 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

39% lower crime

Laredo's crime index is 39% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

Laredo

Winner

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Laredo's crime index is 109 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 39% lower in Laredo. 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, Laredo 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 Laredo are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

Laredo

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in Laredo). 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

33% more comfortable

Albuquerque weather is 33% more comfortable than Laredo

Albuquerque

Winner

86°F typical

Laredo

92°F typical

What this means for your life

Albuquerque scores 33% 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 92°F in Laredo. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; Laredo reads as hot, long summers. 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. Albuquerque is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Laredo 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 plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 1% higher ($61,503), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 86°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose Laredo

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 21% cheaper here at about $1,161 a month. Choose Laredo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Laredo is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 39% lower than Albuquerque (109 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 Laredo report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs Laredo, called

If safety is your priority, Laredo is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Albuquerque pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Albuquerque vs Laredo FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than Laredo?: No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 21% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Albuquerque has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Laredo?: Laredo is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 39% 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 Laredo?: School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Laredo. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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