For a trip you do once a year it isnt that big of a deal living in ABQ. You just have other options to search for fares out of LAX, DEN, DFW, IAH, ORD, as well as JFK and others and you just travel on a sseparate ticket from ABQ.

As for the lower COL it depends on where. ABQ is a very cheap cost of living compared to NYC.

ABQ is on my short list of places to retire.

As of now---from ABQ you have direct nonstop service to most other cities in the western US. Its large enough you generally dont have to do 2 change planes to fly elsewhere in the country.