City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.0% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $104,000 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,154 in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Memphis, TN ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,176 in Memphis | $103,976 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
81 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Memphis, TN | Real change, Buffalo → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $61,510 | $63,956 (−16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $125,580 | $130,573 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $76,960 | $80,020 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $81,500 | $84,740 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.