Buffalo, NY Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Buffalo, NY Summary
Cost of living in Buffalo research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Buffalo is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Buffalo is 84, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Buffalo is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Buffalo ranks as the #8 cheapest in New York out of 340.
Buffalo ranks as the #629 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Buffalo is $112,900.
The median income in Buffalo is $42,186.
Table Of Contents
Buffalo's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Buffalo, NY?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Buffalo has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to New York, Buffalo has a cost of living index that's 0.7x lower than New York's index of 126.
The standard of living in Buffalo ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 340 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Buffalo ranks as the #332 most expensive place in the Empire State.
For more reading on life in Buffalo, check out:
- Living In Buffalo
- Buffalo Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In Buffalo, NY
In New York
In America
Buffalo Cost Of Living Vs. New York
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Buffalo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Buffalo is 100.
The Groceries index in Buffalo is 92.
The Health index in Buffalo is 87.
The Housing index in Buffalo is 52.
The Transportation index in Buffalo is 96.
The Utilities index in Buffalo is 98.
| Living Expense | Buffalo | New York | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 84 | 126 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 92 | 104 | 100 | |
| Health | 87 | 105 | 100 | |
| Housing | 52 | 175 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 96 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
Buffalo, NY Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Buffalo is $112,900.
The Median Rent in Buffalo is $849.
The Median Income in Buffalo is $42,186.
The Home Value To Income in Buffalo is 2.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Buffalo is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Buffalo | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $112,900 | $340,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $849 | $1,390 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $42,186 | $75,157 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.7x | 4.5x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.22x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Buffalo, NY Costs By Category
Detailed Buffalo Services Costs Vs. New York
Detailed Buffalo Groceries Costs Vs. New York
Detailed Buffalo Health Costs Vs. New York
Detailed Buffalo Transportation Costs Vs. New York
Detailed Buffalo Utilities Costs Vs. New York
Buffalo SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Buffalo
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Buffalo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Cheektowaga, NY has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Buffalo.
West Seneca, NY has a cost of living index of 91, 1.1x Buffalo.
Lackawanna, NY has a cost of living index of 82, 1.0x Buffalo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheektowaga, NY | 76,497 | 88 | 1.0x |
| West Seneca, NY | 45,390 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Lackawanna, NY | 19,697 | 82 | 1.0x |
| Kenmore, NY | 15,207 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Depew, NY | 15,188 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Eggertsville, NY | 14,577 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Lancaster, NY | 10,046 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Hamburg, NY | 9,722 | 91 | 1.1x |
| East Aurora, NY | 6,095 | 97 | 1.2x |
| Harris Hill, NY | 6,078 | 104 | 1.2x |
