Median rent is 4% lower in Cincinnati ($1,001/mo vs $1,046/mo). Buying is cheaper in Buffalo, where the median home runs $164,200 versus $230,900. Households earn more in Cincinnati ($52,909 vs $50,041 a year).
City A
Buffalo, NY
City B
Cincinnati, OH
How much would you need to earn in Cincinnati, OH to maintain your standard of living from Buffalo, NY?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Buffalo
New York
Cincinnati
Ohio
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,046/mo in Buffalo and $1,001/mo in Cincinnati. Home buyers face a steeper market in Cincinnati: the median home is $230,900 versus $164,200 in Buffalo — 29% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Buffalo
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Cincinnati
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Buffalo averages 54.0 AQI (Moderate) and Cincinnati averages 54.0 AQI (Moderate).
Is Buffalo cheaper than Cincinnati?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Buffalo vs Cincinnati?
Median rent is $1,046/mo in Buffalo, NY and $1,001/mo in Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati, OH has the lower rent by about 4%.
Which has higher salaries — Buffalo or Cincinnati?
Median household income is $50,041 in Buffalo, NY and $52,909 in Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati, OH has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Cincinnati, OH has better air quality on average: 54.0 AQI versus 54.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Buffalo or Cincinnati?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Cincinnati to match my Buffalo income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
