City comparison
Boston, MA vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.0% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $113,000 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Boston, MA to Buffalo, NY ($120,548 → $111,301), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,526 in Buffalo | $112,961 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
100 Strong offer
Buffalo, NY → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Boston → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,543 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,091 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,598 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,301 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,525 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $76,490 | $86,404 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $127,850 | $144,420 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $82,120 | $92,763 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $99,060 | $111,899 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.