Overall
- Utica-Rome
- 92.7
- Binghamton
- 92.9
Diff +0.2 RPP
Utica-Rome vs Binghamton
Cost of living comparison based on BEA Regional Price Parities. Binghamton is 0.2% more expensive than Utica-Rome.
0.2% more expensive
Binghamton, NY is 0.2% more expensive than Utica-Rome, NY on BEA Regional Price Parities (overall RPP 92.9 vs 92.7). A $100,000 salary in Utica-Rome buys about the same as $100,200 in Binghamton; the largest component gap is rents.
- Overall RPP 92.7 (Utica-Rome) vs 92.9 (Binghamton)
- $100k in Utica-Rome ≈ $100,200 purchasing power in Binghamton
- Rents drives the gap (+3.6 RPP points)
RPP parity plate
Pair NY:NY 92.7→92.9
PHOTO-FINISH · SAME-STATE · SPLIT-BUDGET · BOTH-BELOW · PP-PAR
- PHOTO-FINISH Photo finish
- SAME-STATE Same state · NY
- SPLIT-BUDGET Split budget
- BOTH-BELOW Both below 100
- PP-PAR PP near-par
Instrument codes from this pair's BEA Regional Price Parities (overall · goods · services · rents · national benchmark 100 · purchasing-power conversion), not a ranking or recommendation.
Utica-Rome
92.7
Cost Index
Binghamton
92.9
Cost Index
What This Comparison Actually Tells You
Utica-Rome, NY and Binghamton, NY are a photo finish on overall price level, only 0.2 RPP points apart. A salary conversion is therefore a fine adjustment, not evidence of a fundamentally different cost regime.
Rents creates the largest separation: Binghamton is 3.6 points higher. But services and goods move against the overall direction, so this is a split budget rather than a clean across-the-board winner.
Comparable population context is incomplete for this pair, so no market-scale explanation is inferred from the price indexes.
Both metros remain below the U.S. benchmark of 100. This comparison chooses between two below-average price levels; “more expensive” here does not mean nationally expensive.
For a housing-sensitive move, validate the rent gap first: HUD Fair Market Rent and the actual unit size can overturn what the blended index implies. On the BEA ratio alone, $100,000 in Utica-Rome corresponds to $100,200 in Binghamton.
Category Breakdown
Goods
- Utica-Rome
- 99.7
- Binghamton
- 99.7
Diff 0.0 RPP
Services
- Utica-Rome
- 131.9
- Binghamton
- 131.6
Diff -0.3 RPP
Rents
- Utica-Rome
- 66.1
- Binghamton
- 69.7
Diff +3.6 RPP
| Category | Utica-Rome | Binghamton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.9 | +0.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 | 0.0 |
| Services | 131.9 | 131.6 | -0.3 |
| Rents | 66.1 | 69.7 | +3.6 |
Visual Comparison
Overall
Utica-Rome 92.7
Binghamton 92.9
Goods
Utica-Rome 99.7
Binghamton 99.7
Services
Utica-Rome 131.9
Binghamton 131.6
Rents
Utica-Rome 66.1
Binghamton 69.7
Vertical line = national average (100)
Salary Equivalents
What a salary in Utica-Rome would need to be in Binghamton for the same purchasing power:
| In Utica-Rome | In Binghamton | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,100 | +$100 |
| $75,000 | $75,150 | +$150 |
| $100,000 | $100,200 | +$200 |
| $150,000 | $150,299 | +$299 |
$ in Utica-Rome = in Binghamton
Same BEA Regional Price Parity ratio as the table above (92.7 → 92.9), computed live from your number, nothing is sent anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Binghamton more expensive than Utica-Rome?
Binghamton is 0.2% more expensive than Utica-Rome. The overall cost index is 92.9 vs 92.7 (national average = 100).
What salary in Binghamton equals $100K in Utica-Rome?
A $100,000 salary in Utica-Rome has the same purchasing power as $100,200 in Binghamton. This is based on the BEA Regional Price Parity indexes.
How do rents compare between Utica-Rome and Binghamton?
Rents in Utica-Rome are indexed at 66.1 while Binghamton is at 69.7 (national average = 100). Binghamton has higher rents.
Data sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP), the cost-of-living indices shown on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), gross-rent observations behind the rents component
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI), goods and services price relatives
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), labor-driven services component
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR), 40th-percentile rent cross-reference
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.