City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 6.3% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $106,300 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $795 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Buffalo, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Buffalo, NY to Portland, ME ($111,301 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,275 in Portland | $94,096 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$795/yr.
47 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$795/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Portland, ME | Real change, Buffalo → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $69,905 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $84,579 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $101,375 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $120,548 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $142,452 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $76,770 | $72,237 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $128,710 | $121,111 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,790 | $75,079 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $88,470 | $83,246 (−16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.