City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 6.9% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $106,900 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Montgomery, AL ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,571 in Montgomery | $106,871 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
90 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Buffalo → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $59,610 | $63,706 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $110,620 | $118,221 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $75,040 | $80,196 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $79,570 | $85,037 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.