Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sometimes known as The ABQ, Albuquerque is deeply southwestern. Green Chilis are the staff of life here and it's not uncommon to eat them at all three meals in a day. The beautiful New Mexico culture is also deeply woven into the city experience with pueblos inside and outside the city borders. Nestled in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains (Spanish for watermelon due to the color) the surrounding landscape is stunning and those who love the outdoors get to experience this southern extension of the high plains area on a daily basis.

Here's a list of pros about living in Albuquerque from a local:
- Relatively low COL
- No real traffic
- Not too big of city but definitely not too small with plenty of room for growth.
- Pretty good food options for a city this size
- The abundance of easily accessible hiking trails
- Best weather I've experienced outside of CA and Hawaii, the summers and winters are both tolerable.
- If I get bored, LA is only a 90 minute flight away.

For more reviews of what living in Albuquerque is like from locals check out: The Reviews

Public Schools are ranked low and crime is high across some neighborhoods. It’s also fairly remote. The ‘International’ in The Albuquerque International Sunport is a fib. There are no international flights out of the ABQ and direct flights to big US cities are limited. The drive to Santa Fe is under an hour but driving to any other cities (Denver, Phoenix, Texas cities etc.) is quite a haul. Speaking of driving, the sprawl of the city makes a car a necessity.

Here's a review of Albuquerque from a local with more cons than pros:
Cons - Bad job market, crime, lack of true 'big city' amenities like international flights or IKEAs, public schools are very hit or miss (mostly miss) compared to most other metro areas, places like restaurants/bars/shops close really early and many aren't open on Sundays, drivers here are a dangerous combination of unskilled+fast+road ragey
Pros - weather, breweries, hiking, lack of traffic, LCOL, lots of fun road trippable places within a couple hours drive

For more reviews of what living in Albuquerque is like from locals check out: The Reviews

Albuquerque is well known for its polarizing suburban vibes that people either love or despise. If you’ve had unpleasant experiences with suburbia, check out other cities. This family-friendly suburban culture brings with it more zoos and museums than nightlight spots.

Outdoor recreation is unsurprisingly big in this part of the state due to the beautiful surrounding countryside. Hiking, mountain biking, and even skiing, when the weather permits, are available in the local Sandia Mountains. The Rio Grande River runs through the city center and is popular with kayakers and river hikers.

Finally, as was mentioned, New Mexico culture is deeply woven into the city with green chilis your new best friend.

Check out the calendar of city events.