City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 5.3% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $105,300 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Spartanburg, SC ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,999 in Spartanburg | $105,264 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
85 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Buffalo → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $60,990 | $64,201 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $114,460 | $120,485 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $77,080 | $81,138 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $82,360 | $86,695 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.