Buffalo, NY vs. San Antonio, TX
Median rent is $989 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,258 in San Antonio, TX. Household income is $48,050 against $62,917. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.
A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.
What the gap means
Occupation wages in both metros
May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.
| Occupation | Buffalo, NY median | San Antonio, TX median | vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,560 | $27,810 | -19.5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,520 | $42,720 | -6.2% |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,910 | $30,960 | -11.3% |
| General and Operations Managers | $103,280 | $99,790 | -3.4% |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $94,370 | -4.7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $46,580 | $28,110 | -39.7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,380 | $34,540 | -7.6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,440 | $53,650 | -9.7% |
Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.
Buffalo, NY vs San Antonio, TX: frequently asked questions
Is San Antonio, TX more expensive than Buffalo, NY?
No. Prices in San Antonio, TX are about 0.7% lower than in Buffalo, NY: a regional price level of 93.7 against 94.4, where the U.S. average is 100.
How much do I need to earn in San Antonio, TX to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Buffalo, NY?
About $99,300. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (94.4 in Buffalo, NY, 93.7 in San Antonio, TX) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.
Is rent cheaper in Buffalo, NY or San Antonio, TX?
The median gross rent is $989 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,258 in San Antonio, TX, a difference of $269 a month or $3,228 a year.
Where are household incomes higher, Buffalo, NY or San Antonio, TX?
The median household income is $48,050 in Buffalo, NY and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX. Rent takes 24.7% of the median income in Buffalo, NY and 24.0% in San Antonio, TX.
What salary do I need to afford the median rent in San Antonio, TX?
About $50,300 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $1,258 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $39,600 in Buffalo, NY.
More comparisons with Buffalo, NY
More comparisons with San Antonio, TX
Definitions used on this page
- Salary needed for the median rent
- Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
- Price level
- BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
- Same standard of living
- A salary in Buffalo, NY converted into San Antonio, TX at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
- Buying power
- One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.
Sources
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- BEA — BEA Regional Price Parities 2023
Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.
Full detail for each city: Buffalo, NY · San Antonio, TX