CostIndexUSA

Buffalo, NY vs Nashville, TN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNY
Buffalo
95.8
overall index
$1,375/mo rent
TN
Nashville
96.3
overall index
$1,775/mo rent

Buffalo and Nashville have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+29.1%
Buffalo
81
Nashville
104.6
🛒 Groceries3.5%
Buffalo
99.7
Nashville
96.2
🚗 Transportation2.6%
Buffalo
102.6
Nashville
99.9
🏥 Healthcare2.7%
Buffalo
92.9
Nashville
90.4
Utilities44.4%
Buffalo
129.5
Nashville
72

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Buffalo to see what you'd need to earn in Nashville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Nashville, TN
$80,400
$400 more needed in Nashville

Formula: salary × (96.3 ÷ 95.8) = salary × 1.0052. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Buffalo, NY

Median Home Price
$269,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
81
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.3×

Nashville, TN

Median Home Price
$444,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,775
Housing Index
104.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.8×

Nashville has 29.1% higher housing costs compared to Buffalo.

Income & Job Market

Buffalo, NY

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
261,025
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingFinanceGovernment

Nashville, TN

Median Household Income
$84,700
Per Capita Income
$48,300
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Population
689,447
Top Industries
HealthcareMusicTourismManufacturingFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Buffalo, NY
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Nashville, TN
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.