Detached garage cost in Albuquerque, NM
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (576 sq ft)
- $27,300 – $54,900
- Per sq ft
- $47 – $94.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $43,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #165
- 1 = most expensive
A detached garage in Albuquerque, NM usually costs $27,300 to $54,900 for 576 sq ft. That works out to about $47 to $94.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $2,450 less. Carpenters earn a median of $28.89 an hour in the Albuquerque area, 1% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 576 sq ft in Albuquerque, NM, standard level
$35,600 to $46,600
About $61.50 to $80 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $18,000 | $23,500 |
| Labor | $17,300 | $22,700 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $380 |
| Total | $35,600 | $46,600 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Albuquerque, NM
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,800 | $20,800 | $27,700 | 51% |
| Labor | $13,300 | $20,000 | $26,700 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $310 | $480 | 1% |
| Total | $27,300 | $41,100 | $54,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Albuquerque number
Labor is 49% of the midpoint bill here, against 50% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (45%), cement masons and concrete finishers (15%), construction laborers (20%), electricians (10%), roofers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Albuquerque the blended ratio comes out at 0.93.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Albuquerque is at 96.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $21,600 nationally becomes $20,800 here (midpoint, 576 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.5: $140 to $480.
Pick a size, pick a tier: detached garage pricing in Albuquerque
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Albuquerque. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft to 3-car (900 sq ft).
Basic
$27,300 to $38,300
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$35,600 to $46,600
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$43,800 to $54,900
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $11,500 – $16,100 | $15,000 – $19,600 | $18,500 – $23,100 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $27,300 – $38,300 | $35,600 – $46,600 | $43,800 – $54,900 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $34,100 – $47,900 | $44,400 – $58,200 | $54,700 – $68,400 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $42,600 – $59,700 | $55,500 – $72,600 | $68,300 – $85,400 |
Detached garage: what moves the price in Albuquerque
Foundation
A slab is cheapest. A frost-depth foundation in cold states costs more.
Garage apartments
A garage with living space is a different project: HomeGuide puts them at $80,000-$300,000.
Permits
You need a permit for a detached garage: $150-$500 on average, with separate electrical or plumbing permits if those are involved.
Planning more than one job in Albuquerque?
Jobs that often go together with detached garage are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Albuquerque wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, garage door comes out highest (−4%) and concrete driveway lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,850 | −7% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $680 – $3,550 | −4% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,350 | −9% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $36,300 – $73,600 | −4% |
What local crews earn in Albuquerque
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 5 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Albuquerque the blend is 0.93.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $28.89 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.21 and $31.48 an hour. About 1,940 work in the metro. That is 47.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $19.44 an hour, which is 14% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.40 and $23.09 an hour. BLS counts 4,140 of them working in the area, 102.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 15% of the weighting: a median of $24.19 an hour, 12% below the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $22.42 and $33.78 an hour. About 840 work in the metro. That is 20.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.43 an hour, which is 6% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $22.37 and $35.04 an hour. BLS counts 2,440 of them working in the area, 60.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $22.01 an hour, 17% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $18.95 and $27.96 an hour. About 710 work in the metro. That is 17.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $860 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,900. That is a swing of roughly 4.6% to 2.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Albuquerque has 404,700 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 62nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $23.21 | $28.89 | $31.48 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $22.42 | $24.19 | $33.78 | $27.41 | 0.88 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.40 | $19.44 | $23.09 | $22.66 | 0.86 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $22.37 | $28.43 | $35.04 | $30.38 | 0.94 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $18.95 | $22.01 | $27.96 | $26.65 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Is Albuquerque cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (576 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Pueblo is the priciest of the group at $41,300. El Paso is the cheapest at $36,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NMthis page | $27,300 – $54,900 | $41,100 | |
| Santa Fe, NM40 miles | $27,300 – $54,900 | $41,100 | level |
| Las Cruces, NM195 miles | $26,400 – $53,100 | $39,800 | −3% |
| Pueblo, CO235 miles | $27,400 – $55,100 | $41,300 | level |
| El Paso, TX255 miles | $24,000 – $48,100 | $36,100 | −12% |
| Amarillo, TX255 miles | $25,300 – $50,700 | $38,000 | −8% |
| New Mexico (statewide) | $27,100 – $54,400 | $40,700 | −1% |
| United States | $29,000 – $58,100 | $43,500 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Albuquerque ranks #165 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Albuquerque is 1% above the New Mexico figure.
Elsewhere in New Mexico
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces, NM | 80,000 jobs | $26,400 – $53,100 | $39,800 | −3% |
| Santa Fe, NM | 61,770 jobs | $27,300 – $54,900 | $41,100 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Albuquerque against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $29,800 – $59,800 | $44,800 | +9% |
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $30,700 – $61,700 | $46,200 | +12% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $27,000 – $54,200 | $40,600 | −1% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $28,200 – $56,600 | $42,400 | +3% |
Albuquerque weather and the detached garage calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Albuquerque Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Albuquerque are April through May and August through October: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below, and June and July have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Heat matters for concrete as well. With average highs of 90°F or more in June and July, crews often start early, wet the base and plan for faster set times.
Albuquerque gets about 9 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 8 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (1.6 inches in July). Inside the workable window, April and May are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.4 inches. The station averages about 64 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 26 | 0.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 54 | 30 | 0.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 63 | 36 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 70 | 43 | 0.5 | Workable |
| May | 80 | 52 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 62 | 0.6 | Hot |
| Jul | 91 | 67 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 65 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 58 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 34 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Dec | 47 | 27 | 0.5 | Cold |
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Detached garage in Albuquerque: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Albuquerque?
For 576 sq ft, expect $27,300 to $54,900 in the Albuquerque area. A standard-spec job lands at $35,600 to $46,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for detached garage in Albuquerque?
About $47 to $94.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $140 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $50 to $100.
+Is detached garage cheaper in Albuquerque or Santa Fe?
Santa Fe is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 576 sq ft there is $41,100, which is 0% more than Albuquerque ($41,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Albuquerque?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $20,000 out of $41,100. Materials are 51% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft cost in Albuquerque?
$34,100 to $68,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does detached garage need a permit in Albuquerque?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $480 for fees in the Albuquerque area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Albuquerque expensive for detached garage compared with the rest of New Mexico?
Albuquerque is 1% above the New Mexico statewide estimate ($40,700 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in New Mexico; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Albuquerque?
The BLS median is $28.89 an hour in the Albuquerque area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.21 to $31.48.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Albuquerque?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $27,300 to $38,300 and premium work $43,800 to $54,900. Basic means: basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door. Premium means: insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes.
+When is the best time to build a detached garage in Albuquerque?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through May and August through October. April and May are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Detached garage near Albuquerque
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Detached Garage Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Trusscore: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Garage? 2026 Price Guide (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage? [2026 Data] (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range / 1.6, because Angi puts professional labor at roughly an additional 60% of the materials cost (materials about 62.5% of the total).