City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 19.1% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $119,100 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.8% moving from Buffalo, NY to Miami, FL ($111,301 → $113,356), while prices change by +19.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.5% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,105 in Miami | $83,960 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Miami, FL | Real change, Buffalo → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $65,735 | −14.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $79,533 | −14.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $95,326 | −14.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $113,356 | −14.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $133,953 | −14.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $58,300 | $48,948 (−36.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $132,650 | $111,372 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $80,920 | $67,940 (−17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $91,380 | $76,722 (−22.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.