City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 5.3% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $105,300 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Buffalo, NY ($117,402 → $111,301), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,008 in Buffalo | $105,254 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$860/yr.
85 Strong offer
Buffalo, NY → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$860/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Ann Arbor → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,543 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $78,091 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,598 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,301 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,525 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,490 | $80,509 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $127,850 | $134,568 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $82,120 | $86,435 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,060 | $104,265 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.