Cost of Living in Buffalo, New York
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Buffalo, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 274,613
- Median household income
- $52,211
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 95.8
- Unemployment rate
- 7.2%
Is Buffalo a good place to live?
Buffalo sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 100 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Buffalo keeps $7,658 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living4% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,182 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,146 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Buffalo
Prices in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area run 4% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 29% above the US average.
- Housing19% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)About the same as the US average
- Utilities29% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% below the US average
- All items4% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,182 | $14,184 |
| Food | $492 | $5,904 |
| Transportation | $389 | $4,668 |
| Healthcare | $344 | $4,128 |
| Utilities | $337 | $4,044 |
| Total before taxes | $2,744 | $32,928 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Buffalo | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,158 | $1,178 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,182 | $1,203 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,399 | $1,423 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,702 | $1,732 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,944 | $1,977 |
Living in Buffalo
How Buffalo compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Buffalo | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,211 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $187,000 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,142 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 53.4% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 23% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 34.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 19.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 11% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 7.4% | 3.7% |
Home internet
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Buffalo, led by Spectrum, T-Mobile, Impact Internet, Verizon. Fiber reaches 54% of homes and 40.3% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Buffalo
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 19.2 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $187,000, against $360,600 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,142 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 4% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 7.2%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 23% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $52,211, against $81,604 nationally.
- Patchy fast internet. Only 40.3% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
What your job keeps in Buffalo
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $50,790
- Federal income tax
- −$3,915
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,136
- State income tax
- −$2,146
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,184
- Everyday costs
- −$18,751
a year, or $638 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $130,800 | $60,350 |
| Software engineer | $127,850 | $58,541 |
| Project manager | $101,180 | $41,703 |
| Registered nurse | $99,060 | $40,337 |
| Accountant | $82,120 | $29,444 |
| Teacher | $80,497 | $28,396 |
| Social worker | $66,866 | $19,601 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $63,370 | $17,033 |
| Truck driver | $59,440 | $14,104 |
| Nursing assistant | $39,790 | −$539 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Buffalo on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $5,989
- Carpenter $17,130
- Civil engineer $39,048
- Data scientist $42,392
- Dental assistant $5,289
- Dental hygienist $29,670
- Dentist $89,684
- Diesel mechanic $16,958
- Electrician $26,739
- Financial analyst $38,679
- Firefighter $24,508
- HVAC technician $16,145
- Lineman $46,949
- Mechanical engineer $39,137
- Medical assistant $3,083
- Nurse practitioner $61,220
- Occupational therapist $29,082
- Paralegal $13,232
- Paramedic $15,133
- Pharmacist $64,703
- Pharmacy technician −$286
- Physical therapist $38,235
- Physician assistant $57,627
- Plumber $23,062
- Police officer $28,688
- Radiologic technologist $30,068
- Respiratory therapist $32,411
- Speech-language pathologist $29,940
- Veterinarian $58,326
- Welder $11,109
Compare Buffalo with other cities
Compare Buffalo with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Buffalo
7 licensed interstate movers are based in Buffalo, and 8 more elsewhere in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Buffalo, NY a good place to live?
Buffalo sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 100 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $50,790 and keeps $7,658 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Buffalo?
Prices in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area are 4% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,182 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,563 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Buffalo?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $40,600 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area earns $50,790.
What is the average rent in Buffalo?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,158 for a studio, $1,182 for a 1-bedroom and $1,399 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Buffalo at $1,142 a month (2024).
Does Buffalo have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $50,790, New York state income tax comes to about $2,146 a year. Buffalo has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Buffalo?
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Buffalo, led by Spectrum, T-Mobile, Impact Internet, Verizon. 54% of homes can get fiber and 40.3% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate