City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 13.6% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $113,600 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $672 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Buffalo, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Washington, DC ($111,301 → $121,785), while prices change by +13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,605 in Washington | $88,024 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$672/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$672/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Washington, DC | Real change, Buffalo → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $70,623 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $85,447 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $102,415 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $121,785 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $143,913 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $79,470 | $69,953 (−8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $154,930 | $136,376 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $102,140 | $89,908 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $102,710 | $90,409 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.