Buffalo, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Buffalo, MN Summary

Cost of living in Buffalo research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Buffalo is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Buffalo is 107, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Buffalo is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Buffalo ranks as the #86 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Buffalo ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Buffalo is $372,246.

  • The median income in Buffalo is $88,306.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
107
Buffalo's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Buffalo, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Buffalo has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Buffalo has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in Buffalo ranks as #86 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Buffalo ranks as the #62 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Buffalo, check out:

86 out of 148
In Minnesota
3,374 out of 6,489
In America

Buffalo Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Buffalo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Buffalo is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Buffalo is 97.

  • The Health index in Buffalo is 122.

  • The Housing index in Buffalo is 110.

  • The Transportation index in Buffalo is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Buffalo is 91.

Living Expense Buffalo Minnesota National Average
Overall 107 97 100
Services 110 101 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 110 100 100
Transportation 100 95 100
Utilities 91 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Buffalo Cost of Living Vs. MN

Buffalo, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Buffalo is $372,246.

  • The Median Rent in Buffalo is $1,111.

  • The Median Income in Buffalo is $88,306.

  • The Home Value To Income in Buffalo is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Buffalo is 0.15x.

Statistic Buffalo Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $372,246 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,111 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $88,306 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.2x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.17x 0.21x
$372,246
Median Home Value
$1,111
Median Rent
$88,306
Median Income

Buffalo, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Buffalo Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Buffalo Minnesota
Shampoo $1.52 $1.28
Movie $11.24 $12.13
Bowling $26.39 $18
Haircut $27.97 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.17 $45.56

Detailed Buffalo Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Buffalo Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.86 $4.93
Pizza $13.07 $12.09
Beer $9.52 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Buffalo Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Buffalo Minnesota
Optometrist $109.94 $125.68
Doctor $162.98 $135.78
Dentist $96.9 $113.29

Detailed Buffalo Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Buffalo Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.97 $59.92

Detailed Buffalo Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Buffalo Minnesota
All Electricity $175.69 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Buffalo SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
3
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Buffalo

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Buffalo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Otsego, MN has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Buffalo.

  • St. Michael, MN has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x Buffalo.

  • Monticello, MN has a cost of living index of 107, 1.0x Buffalo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Buffalo
Otsego, MN 21,358 114 1.1x
St. Michael, MN 19,267 110 1.0x
Monticello, MN 14,607 107 1.0x
Rogers, MN 13,405 122 1.1x
Mound, MN 9,176 105 1.0x
Minnetrista, MN 8,509 141 1.3x
Albertville, MN 8,066 103 1.0x
Corcoran, MN 6,854 125 1.2x
Delano, MN 6,712 104 1.0x

Articles About Minnesota

Enjoy The Snack?