Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Buffalo, NY
Cooks, Restaurant in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area earn a median $38,060 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,303 take-home, or $2,609 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Buffalo, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,387
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,360
- Medicare (1.45%)$552
- New York income tax$1,458
- Take-home pay$31,303
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Buffalo, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,900 | $16.78 | $28,935 | $2,411 |
| 25th percentile | $36,840 | $17.71 | $30,389 | $2,532 |
| Median (50th) | $38,060 | $18.30 | $31,303 | $2,609 |
| 75th percentile | $44,050 | $21.18 | $35,792 | $2,983 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,390 | $22.30 | $37,546 | $3,129 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,060 buys in Buffalo, NY
Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 19% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,303 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,660 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in Buffalo, NY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Buffalo, NY ranks #32 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 32 | Buffalo, NY | $38,060 | $31,303 | $32,660 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in New York
- Albany, NY — $39,610
- Rochester, NY — $38,380
- New York, NY — $43,740
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Buffalo, NY?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area is $38,060 a year, or about $18.30 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,840 and $44,050.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Buffalo, NY?
On the median $38,060 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $31,303 a year ($2,609 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,458 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is Buffalo, NY a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 4.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,660 would in a typical U.S. city. Buffalo, NY ranks #32 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Buffalo, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Buffalo, NY is $1,139 a month ($1,343 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Buffalo, NY
- Bartender — $46,920
- Waiter and Waitress — $46,580
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,720
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $35,140
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,700
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $34,560