Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Albuquerque vs Scranton

Albuquerque vs Scranton

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Scranton 10% cheaper Low / Moderate

Albuquerque

ian dooley/Unsplash

Scranton

Nicholas Bukofski/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$3,410

Albuquerque

$3,061

Scranton

Internet

279

Mbps

279

Mbps

Safety

Low

Albuquerque

Moderate

Scranton

Air Quality

5/5

Albuquerque

5/5

Scranton

Healthcare

Low

Albuquerque

Low

Scranton

Population

559.3k

Albuquerque

76.7k

Scranton

Albuquerque and Scranton are both in United States, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Scranton has a modest cost advantage at $3061/mo compared to Albuquerque's $3410/mo — a 10% gap that matters over time.

For families, Albuquerque costs $4998.6625/mo compared to Scranton's $5258.0625/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Albuquerque at 279 Mbps and Scranton at 279 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

Scranton has a stronger safety profile than Albuquerque, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Albuquerque and Scranton.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Albuquerque is May (around 24 degrees, 0mm rain, score 419), while Scranton peaks in September (25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AlbuquerqueScranton

Nomad$3,410/mo$3,061/mo

Expat$2,269/mo$2,149/mo

Local$1,428/mo$1,502/mo

Family$4,999/mo$5,258/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AlbuquerqueScranton

City Speed

279 Mbps

Country Speed279 Mbps279 Mbps

Environment & Health

AlbuquerqueScranton

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateLow

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity3981

Quality of Life

AlbuquerqueScranton

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Albuquerque

Scranton

Jan

5°

0mm359

0°

0mm325

Feb

9°

0mm369

2°

0mm339

Mar

12°

0mm379

8°

0mm344

Apr

19°

0mm399

13°

1mm333

May

24°

0mm419

23°

0mm377

Jun

32°

0mm379

29°

0mm394

Jul

34°

0mm379

32°

0mm397

Aug

34°

0mm379

28°

1mm371

Sep

29°

0mm419

25°

0mm399

Oct

23°

0mm419

16°

0mm359

Nov

9°

0mm369

8°

0mm349

Dec

8°

0mm369

-1°

0mm325

Who Should Choose Albuquerque?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in May — 24 degrees, score 419

Who Should Choose Scranton?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 76.7k residents
Peak season in September — 25 degrees, score 399

Overall Verdict

The data favors Scranton as the more well-rounded choice. At $3061/mo versus Albuquerque's $3410/mo, that is a 10% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Albuquerque Scranton

ItemAlbuquerqueScrantonDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$15—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$65—

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$8.3$8

Cappuccino (regular)$4.28$4.6

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$5—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5$4

20%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.94$1.5

23%

Water (0.33L)$1.48$1.25

16%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.99$0.92

White bread (500g)$3.1$2.41

22%

White rice (1kg)$3.42$3.16

Eggs (12)$3.65$2.64

28%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$9.9$11.02

10%

Beef round (1kg)$15.97$6.37

60%

Local cheese (1kg)$10.88$14.23

24%

Apples (1kg)$4.29$6

28%

Bananas (1kg)$1.31$1.96

33%

Oranges (1kg)$3.9$8.82

56%

Tomatoes (1kg)$3.43$3.23

Potatoes (1kg)$2.33$2.46

Onions (1kg)$1.88$2.09

10%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.72$1.66

Water (1.5L bottle)$2$0.89

55%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12$11

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$3.21—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.2$4.25

25%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$9$8.86

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1$1.75

43%

Monthly transport pass$30$60

50%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.73$3

Taxi per 1km$3$1.94

35%

Taxi 1hr waiting$32$12

63%

Gasoline (1L)$1.12$1.28

12%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,500$19,000

16%

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,625$26,000

17%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$129.67$185.51

30%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$74.35$85

13%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.15$0.1

33%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$34.62$28

19%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$32.5—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$12.5$11

12%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$866.67$1,800

52%

International primary school/yr$13,666.67$7,800

43%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$53.3$37.49

30%

Summer dress (chain store)$42.5$41.33

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$78$76.33

Men's leather business shoes$90.89$75

17%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,364.58$1,550

12%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,125$1,000

11%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,340$2,500

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,958.12$1,500

23%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,865.89—

—

Price per m², outside centre$2,389.59$1,076.39

55%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$5,317.78$2,178

59%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.6$4.45

21%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

Related Comparisons

See all comparisons

AlbuquerquevsCincinnati

AlbuquerquevsScranton

AlbuquerquevsSyracuse

AlbuquerquevsYoungstown

AlbuquerquevsNorth Little Rock

AlbuquerquevsTulsa

Compare Cities

Albuquerque Scranton