Cost of Living Comparison Between Albuquerque, NM and Asmara Cost of Living Comparison Between Albuquerque, NM and Asmara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,259 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $1,483 in Asmara, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,436 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $2,175 in Asmara, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,612 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $2,866 in Asmara, rent included.

Albuquerque, NM costs about 52% more than Asmara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Albuquerque, NM and Asmara sit above the global median – Albuquerque, NM by 69%, Asmara by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 $17.04

$12.52 ERN 188

36.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$30.40 ERN 457

160.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.14 ERN 92.2

59.77%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$0.74 ERN 11.09

598.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.88 ERN 28.24

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.36 ERN 20.43

31.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$1.02 ERN 15.31

494.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$2.04 ERN 30.65

300.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.59 ERN 23.93

-34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$0.49 ERN 7.35

514.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.94 ERN 29.11

63.40%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$4.44 ERN 66.7

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$3.05 ERN 45.77

319.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 $10.39

$26.68 ERN 401

-61.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.41 $20.41

$10.09 ERN 152

102.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$12.27 ERN 184

-59.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.25 ERN 18.78

11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.90 ERN 28.61

96.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.18 ERN 17.78

288.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.78 ERN 26.67

34.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.06 ERN 15.85

137.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.65 ERN 9.77

210.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.18 ERN 32.80

2.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$1.97 ERN 29.53

413.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 $13.85

$11.95 ERN 179

15.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.01 ERN 15.18

80.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.19 ERN 17.86

133.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.14 ERN 2.11

1357.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.04 ERN 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.68 ERN 10.22

423.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.61 ERN 9.22

193.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.57 $29.57

$8.27 ERN 124

257.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.18 ERN 32.81

-63.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.3K $31.3K

$65.8K ERN 988.1K

-52.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K $26.3K

$69.2K ERN 1.0M

-61.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$181 $181

$27.01 ERN 406

569.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$67.8 ERN 1,018

-23.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$201 ERN 3,016

-65.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.67 $44.67

$27.53 ERN 414

62.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 $4.95

$7.68 ERN 115

-35.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 $13.62

$1.13 ERN 16.99

1105.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$25.33 ERN 380

4798.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,071 $6,071

$1,678 ERN 25.2K

261.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$81.0 ERN 1,216

-33.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$74.2 ERN 1,114

-31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$197 ERN 2,960

-51.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$94.8 ERN 1,424

20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 $1,164

$467 ERN 7,012

149.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 $1,036

$405 ERN 6,079

156.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$737 ERN 11.1K

201.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 $1,967

$659 ERN 9,902

198.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,473 $2,473

$1,247 ERN 18.7K

98.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,201 $2,201

$2,483 ERN 37.3K

-11.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,961 $3,961

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

-45.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albuquerque, NM: May 30, 2026

Last update for Asmara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,164 in Albuquerque, NM versus $467 in Asmara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Albuquerque, NM versus $30.00 in Asmara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $369 – making Asmara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Albuquerque, NM vs Asmara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albuquerque, NM costs about 52% more than Asmara, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,389 per month in Albuquerque, NM and $2,225 in Asmara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asmara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Albuquerque, NM and $30.00 in Asmara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Albuquerque, NM, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asmara, where all-in costs run around $1,483, than in Albuquerque, NM at $2,259. In Asmara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Albuquerque, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asmara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Asmara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Albuquerque, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.