City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 7.8% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $107,800 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Wichita, KS ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,803 in Wichita | $107,755 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$79/yr.
93 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$79/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Wichita, KS | Real change, Buffalo → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $58,640 | $63,188 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $105,980 | $114,199 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,270 | $85,418 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $76,540 | $82,476 (−16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.