City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 6.0% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $106,000 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,061 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Buffalo, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Eugene, OR ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.8% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,972 in Eugene | $94,364 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,061/yr.
51 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,061/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Eugene, OR | Real change, Buffalo → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | −9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | −9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | −9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | −9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | −9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $64,260 | $60,639 (−20.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $121,050 | $114,228 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,930 | $75,425 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $113,720 | $107,311 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.