Last updated 2026-06-12 ยท MovePlan Editorial Team
Below the national average, cheap by New York standards with serious winters.
Cost of living index (US avg = 100): 93
Median 2BR rent: $1,300/mo
Housing: 82 vs 100
Groceries: 98 vs 100
Utilities: 106 vs 100
Transportation: 97 vs 100
Healthcare: 99 vs 100
Buffalo offers affordable housing by New York standards, real four seasons, and a tight-knit feel. Below-average costs come with famous lake-effect snow.