City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 1.8% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $101,800 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Buffalo, NY to Durham, NC ($111,301 → $111,147), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,803 in Durham | $98,229 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
63 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Durham, NC | Real change, Buffalo → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $64,453 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,983 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $93,468 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $111,147 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $131,342 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $51,400 | $50,490 (−34.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $135,620 | $133,218 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $85,090 | $83,583 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.