New York vs Buffalo: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison

New York's typical home is worth $732,100, 454% higher than the typical home in Buffalo at $132,100.

On median household income, New York posts $76,607 while Buffalo posts $46,184.

Typical rent runs $1,714 in New York and $942 in Buffalo.

FEMA's National Risk Index puts both cities at "Relatively High" for overall natural-hazard risk.

Metric	New York, NY	Buffalo, NY
Population	8,622,467	276,688
Median home value	$732,100	$132,100
Median household income	$76,607	$46,184
Median gross rent	$1,714	$942
Climate risk (FEMA)	Relatively High	Relatively High

Both home values and rent run lower in Buffalo, NY than in New York, NY, making it the more affordable of the two on housing alone.

Moving between New York and Buffalo

New York and Buffalo are 297 miles apart in a straight line.

What changes when you move	New York → Buffalo	Buffalo → New York
Median rent	−$772/mo (−45%)	+$772/mo (+82%)
Median home value	−$600,000 (−82%)	+$600,000 (+454%)
Median household income	−$30,423 (−40%)	+$30,423 (+66%)

Estimated moving cost (either direction)

Home size	Estimated cost
Studio / 1-bedroom	$730 – $1,131
2-3 bedroom	$2,031 – $3,116
4+ bedroom house	$3,654 – $5,585

Estimates based on typical per-mile and per-room moving-industry rates; actual quotes vary by mover, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

New York, NY Buffalo, NY

341 miles estimated driving distance · 5.7 hours of highway driving

DIY Truck Rental

$466 – $595

Includes an estimated $119 in fuel (34 gal at ~10 mpg) over 1 driving day.

Professional Movers

$2,285 – $3,924

Full-service crew, loading and unloading included.

Estimates based on typical rental-truck, fuel, and professional-mover industry rates; actual quotes vary by carrier, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey; FEMA National Risk Index

Data last updated July 2026.