Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would need to be about $35,455 in Ontario County, NY, or $14,545 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, NY vs Ontario County, NY: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Ontario County, NY is cheaper than Suffolk County, NY.
Moving to Ontario County, NY is estimated to save $22,321 per year.
Cheaper County
Ontario County, NYSave about $22,321 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, NY is about $35,455 in Ontario County, NY.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Ontario County, NY. Housing saves $9,608 per year.
Housing: $9,608 lower in Ontario County, NY
Taxes: $7,781 lower in Ontario County, NY
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $812 lower in Ontario County, NY
Food: $288 lower in Ontario County, NY
Transport: $758 lower in Ontario County, NY
Suffolk County, NY→Ontario County, NY
Equivalent salary in Ontario County, NY
$35,455
-29.09% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, NY: $147,792
Median Income in Ontario County, NY: $100,623
Living Index in Suffolk County, NY 51.92%
Living Index in Ontario County, NY 54.08%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, NY to Ontario 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 Ontario County, NY is estimated to save $22,321 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would have similar purchasing power to about $35,455 in Ontario County, NY. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -29.09% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $9,608 per year lower (-43.37%); Taxes is $7,781 per year lower (-40.77%).
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 Ontario 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 54.1% in Ontario County, NY. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,608 per year lower in Ontario 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 Ontario County, NY changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $288 per year lower in Ontario County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Ontario County, NY can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $758 per year lower in Ontario 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 Ontario County, NY.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $812 per year lower in Ontario County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Ontario County, NY changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,073 per year lower in Ontario County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Ontario 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 Ontario County, NY, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Ontario County, NY, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $7,781 per year lower in Ontario County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Ontario 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 Ontario County, NY.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Ontario County, NY
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Ontario County, NY.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Ontario County, NY
Annual Savings:
$9,608 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Ontario County, NY.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -43% lower | |
| Food | -6% lower | |
| Transport | -5% lower | |
| Healthcare | -10% lower | |
| Other Costs | -37% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -41% lower |
In Ontario County, NY, modeled annual costs are $54,419 compared with $76,740 in Suffolk County, NY.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Ontario County, NY. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Ontario County, NY and Suffolk County, NY are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
