City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Cincinnati, OH (95.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $99,500 in Cincinnati, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Cincinnati, OH ($111,301 → $110,865), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,505 in Cincinnati | $100,497 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
70 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Buffalo → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $64,290 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,785 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $93,231 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $110,865 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $131,009 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $64,740 | $65,062 (−14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $121,420 | $122,023 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $80,640 | $81,041 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $83,650 | $84,066 (−15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.