City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 1.2% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $101,200 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Buffalo, NY to Pittsburgh, PA ($111,301 → $110,047), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,776 in Pittsburgh | $101,239 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
73 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Buffalo → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $63,815 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,211 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $92,543 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $110,047 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $130,042 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $76,550 | $77,498 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $124,500 | $126,043 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $76,940 | $77,893 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $82,370 | $83,391 (−15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.