City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 2.0% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $102,000 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH ($111,301 → $111,138), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,996 in Cleveland | $102,045 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
75 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Buffalo → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $64,448 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,977 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $93,461 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $111,138 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $131,331 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $76,470 | $78,034 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $111,310 | $113,587 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $80,000 | $81,636 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $83,940 | $85,657 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.