City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 3.4% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $103,400 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Buffalo, NY to Corpus Christi, TX ($111,301 → $106,955), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,689 in Corpus Christi | $103,424 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
79 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Buffalo → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $62,023 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $75,042 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,943 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,955 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $126,389 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $60,210 | $62,272 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $123,580 | $127,811 (−0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $75,580 | $78,168 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $82,690 | $85,521 (−13.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.