Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would need to be about $32,950 in Onondaga County, NY, or $17,050 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, NY vs Onondaga County, NY: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Onondaga County, NY is cheaper than Suffolk County, NY.
Moving to Onondaga County, NY is estimated to save $26,165 per year.
Cheaper County
Onondaga County, NYSave about $26,165 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, NY is about $32,950 in Onondaga County, NY.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Onondaga County, NY. Housing saves $10,253 per year.
Housing: $10,253 lower in Onondaga County, NY
Taxes: $8,805 lower in Onondaga County, NY
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $1,240 lower in Onondaga County, NY
Food: $254 lower in Onondaga County, NY
Transport: $2,352 lower in Onondaga County, NY
Suffolk County, NY→Onondaga County, NY
Equivalent salary in Onondaga County, NY
$32,950
-34.1% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, NY: $147,792
Median Income in Onondaga County, NY: $98,891
Living Index in Suffolk County, NY 51.92%
Living Index in Onondaga County, NY 51.14%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, NY to Onondaga County, NY.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, NY to Onondaga County, NY is estimated to save $26,165 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would have similar purchasing power to about $32,950 in Onondaga County, NY. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -34.1% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $10,253 per year lower (-46.28%); Taxes is $8,805 per year lower (-46.13%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, NY and Onondaga County, NY, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 51.9% of median family income in Suffolk County, NY and 51.1% in Onondaga County, NY. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $10,253 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Onondaga County, NY changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $254 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Onondaga County, NY can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,352 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Onondaga County, NY.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $1,240 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Onondaga County, NY changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,262 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Onondaga County, NY help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, NY and Onondaga County, NY, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Onondaga County, NY, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $8,805 per year lower in Onondaga County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Onondaga County, NY matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Onondaga County, NY.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Onondaga County, NY
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Onondaga County, NY.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Onondaga County, NY
Annual Savings:
$10,253 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Onondaga County, NY.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -46% lower | |
| Food | -5% lower | |
| Transport | -16% lower | |
| Healthcare | -15% lower | |
| Other Costs | -39% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -46% lower |
In Onondaga County, NY, modeled annual costs are $50,575 compared with $76,740 in Suffolk County, NY.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Onondaga County, NY. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Onondaga County, NY and Suffolk County, NY are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
