City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Albany | Buffalo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,130/mo | $942/mo | 20.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $213,400 | $132,100 | 61.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $54,736 | $46,184 | 18.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.0 | 101.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 99.3 | 99.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 95.9 | 95.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.7 | 104.7 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Albany, you'd need $83,360 in Buffalo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Buffalo, NY is about 16.6% cheaper overall than Albany, NY, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 17% lower in Buffalo than in Albany. If you earn $80,000 in Albany, you'd need about $66,688 in Buffalo to keep the same standard of living.