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Cost of Living · New York

Buffalo Cost of Living

Buffalo, New York costs approximately 8.0% below the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

0.92×
cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)
Buffalo ranks 3 of 3 cities in New York by cost of living.
Cities MORE expensive than Buffalo (75)
San Francisco, CA
+57.6% more expensive
Oakland, CA
+46.7% more expensive
New York City, NY
+43.5% more expensive
Honolulu, HI
+41.3% more expensive
Irvine, CA
+41.3% more expensive
Los Angeles, CA
+32.6% more expensive
Boston, MA
+32.6% more expensive
San Diego, CA
+31.5% more expensive
Yonkers, NY
+30.4% more expensive
Anchorage, AK
+30.4% more expensive
Seattle, WA
+28.3% more expensive
Long Beach, CA
+28.3% more expensive
Anaheim, CA
+28.3% more expensive
Scottsdale, AZ
+28.3% more expensive
Chula Vista, CA
+25.0% more expensive
Miami, FL
+21.7% more expensive
Portland, OR
+19.6% more expensive
Newark, NJ
+19.6% more expensive
Sacramento, CA
+19.6% more expensive
Riverside, CA
+19.6% more expensive
Denver, CO
+17.4% more expensive
Chicago, IL
+14.1% more expensive
Austin, TX
+14.1% more expensive
Baltimore, MD
+14.1% more expensive
Stockton, CA
+14.1% more expensive
Aurora, CO
+14.1% more expensive
Hialeah, FL
+14.1% more expensive
Frisco, TX
+14.1% more expensive
Las Vegas, NV
+13.0% more expensive
Minneapolis, MN
+13.0% more expensive
Plano, TX
+13.0% more expensive
Chandler, AZ
+13.0% more expensive
Phoenix, AZ
+10.9% more expensive
Philadelphia, PA
+10.9% more expensive
Atlanta, GA
+10.9% more expensive
Tampa, FL
+10.9% more expensive
Henderson, NV
+10.9% more expensive
Reno, NV
+10.9% more expensive
Gilbert, AZ
+10.9% more expensive
Charleston, SC
+10.9% more expensive
Salt Lake City, UT
+10.9% more expensive
Orlando, FL
+9.8% more expensive
Wilmington, DE
+8.7% more expensive
Raleigh, NC
+8.7% more expensive
Virginia Beach, VA
+8.7% more expensive
St. Paul, MN
+8.7% more expensive
Chesapeake, VA
+8.7% more expensive
North Las Vegas, NV
+8.7% more expensive
Boise, ID
+8.7% more expensive
Fresno, CA
+8.7% more expensive
Worcester, MA
+8.7% more expensive
Dallas, TX
+7.6% more expensive
Nashville, TN
+7.6% more expensive
Colorado Springs, CO
+7.6% more expensive
Bakersfield, CA
+7.6% more expensive
St. Petersburg, FL
+7.6% more expensive
Madison, WI
+7.6% more expensive
Norfolk, VA
+6.5% more expensive
Jacksonville, FL
+5.4% more expensive
Charlotte, NC
+5.4% more expensive
Mesa, AZ
+5.4% more expensive
Houston, TX
+4.3% more expensive
Fort Worth, TX
+4.3% more expensive
Tucson, AZ
+4.3% more expensive
Glendale, AZ
+4.3% more expensive
Garland, TX
+4.3% more expensive
Spokane, WA
+4.3% more expensive
Pittsburgh, PA
+3.3% more expensive
Arlington, TX
+3.3% more expensive
Tallahassee, FL
+3.3% more expensive
Milwaukee, WI
+2.2% more expensive
Albuquerque, NM
+2.2% more expensive
New Orleans, LA
+2.2% more expensive
San Antonio, TX
+1.1% more expensive
Grand Rapids, MI
+1.1% more expensive
Cities CHEAPER than Buffalo (16)
El Paso, TX
−1.1% cheaper
Cleveland, OH
−1.1% cheaper
St. Louis, MO
−1.1% cheaper
Winston-Salem, NC
−1.1% cheaper
Indianapolis, IN
−2.2% cheaper
Louisville, KY
−2.2% cheaper
Omaha, NE
−2.2% cheaper
Memphis, TN
−3.3% cheaper
Oklahoma City, OK
−3.3% cheaper
Lincoln, NE
−3.3% cheaper
Birmingham, AL
−4.3% cheaper
Toledo, OH
−4.3% cheaper
Lubbock, TX
−4.3% cheaper
Wichita, KS
−6.5% cheaper
Fort Wayne, IN
−6.5% cheaper
Mobile, AL
−6.5% cheaper

What living in Buffalo costs

Buffalo carries a cost index of 0.92x the national baseline, placing it above 16 of the 99 metros tracked and below 75. Rent runs about $1,100 monthly; the median home is near $250,000.

Price-to-rent sits around 19 — the middle band where buying and renting are close enough that the decision turns on how long you will stay and what else you would do with the down payment.

Working and living here

Buffalo is a metro of roughly 1.2M and roughly flat, running on finance, healthcare, higher education. Larger employers include M&T Bank (headquarters), University at Buffalo, Kaleida Health.

New York taxes income at the state level, and Buffalo adds no separate city tax. Cost-of-living indexes exclude income tax entirely, so compare after-tax figures rather than index ratios when weighing this metro against one in a no-income-tax state.

Getting around: Buffalo is served by limited transit. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: Humid continental with lake-effect snow: January highs near 31°F/lows 19°F, July highs near 81°F/lows 63°F; the metro averages well over 90 inches of snow a year.

No city income tax (New York only imposes one in NYC and Yonkers); Buffalo remains one of the cheapest housing markets among major Northeast metros.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buffalo expensive to live in?▾
Relative to the US average, no — the cost index is 0.92x, above 16 and below 75 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $1,100 a month and the median home $250,000.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Buffalo?▾
A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $1,100 a month implies about $44,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.