| Measure | AlbuquerqueNew Mexico, United States Remove Albuquerque | MesaArizona, United States Remove Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.6 | 7.0 |
| Connector Score | 5.9 | 8.5 |
| Safety | 2.2 | 6.0 |
| Affordability | 7.3 | 5.3 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 8.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 8.3 | 5.3 |
| Things to do | 6.6 | 7.1 |
| Food & dining | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Places to stay | 6.5 | 7.1 |
| Nature & outdoors | 6.0 | 9.0 |
| Scenic value | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| Family friendliness | 6.4 | 7.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Nightlife | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Road-trip convenience | 5.4 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 6.7 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.0 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $110 | $125 |
| Mid-range | $175 | $195 |
| Luxury | $307 | $350 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 92 | 112 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,176 | $1,313 |
| Median home price | $360,000 | $435,000 |
| Population | 557K | 514K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Albuquerque | — | 7 h 30 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel | Outdoors, National parks |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Balloon Fiesta in early October when ra… | Peak: Feb-April and Jan-Mar for winter visito… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.