City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.0% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $110,000 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Anchorage, AK to Buffalo, NY ($120,348 → $111,301), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,916 in Buffalo | $109,991 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Buffalo, NY → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Anchorage → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,543 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $78,091 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,598 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,301 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,525 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $76,490 | $84,132 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $127,850 | $140,624 (+35.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $82,120 | $90,325 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $99,060 | $108,957 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.