Cost comparison
Compare rent, housing, utilities, groceries, salary needs, and move score across the city profiles currently available in LifeAtlas.
New York
Buffalo is the Western New York affordability comparison market, where housing value, healthcare employment, winter utilities, and neighborhood fit shape the household budget.
New York
Utica is a lower-cost upstate regional market in New York, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Comparison
Utica has the lower salary-needed estimate, while Utica has the lower starter rent. Differences are shown as Utica minus Buffalo.
| Metric | Buffalo | Utica | Difference | Advantage | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,390 | $1,357 | -$33 | Utica | Utica has the lower median rent. |
| Home price | $241,380 | $205,924 | -$35,456 | Utica | Utica has the lower home price. |
| Utilities | $230/mo | $248/mo | +$18/mo | Buffalo | Buffalo has the lower utilities. |
| Groceries index | 112 | 117 | +5 | Buffalo | Buffalo has the lower groceries index. |
| Salary needed | $95,000 | $77,900 | -$17,100 | Utica | Utica has the lower salary needed. |
| Move score | 65/100 | 66/100 | +1 | Utica | Utica has the higher move score. |