City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Columbus, OH (95.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $99,600 in Columbus, OH.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,194 in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Buffalo, NY to Columbus, OH ($111,301 → $111,065), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,609 in Columbus | $100,393 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,194/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
70 Fair offer
Columbus, OH → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Columbus, OH | Real change, Buffalo → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $64,406 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,926 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $93,400 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $111,065 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $131,245 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $78,150 | $78,457 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $122,340 | $122,821 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $81,700 | $82,021 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $83,900 | $84,230 (−15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.