City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $104,300 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Omaha, NE ($111,301 → $107,501), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,896 in Omaha | $104,279 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
82 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Omaha, NE | Real change, Buffalo → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $62,339 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $75,425 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $90,402 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $107,501 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $127,033 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $62,670 | $65,352 (−14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $125,220 | $130,578 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $77,030 | $80,326 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $84,600 | $88,220 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.