You need to earn $418,000 to buy a home in NYC—here’s what you need in other major US cities

In many major U.S. cities, it's becoming more costly than ever to purchase a home.

"Over the past decade, home prices in almost all major U.S. cities have increased," home investment company Unison points out in its newly released 2018 Home Affordability Report.

Large coastal cities have been hit the hardest. "Cities like San Francisco and Seattle have seen home price appreciation far outpace any historical precedent, growing as much as 10 percent year-over-year," the report says.

To illustrate what it takes to become a homeowner in various locations across the country, Unison calculated the salary needed to afford to buy.

To determine the necessary salary, the report looked at median property values in each area, then calculated approximate monthly costs for different sized down payments. For the purpose of the study, Unison assumed a 4.625 percent mortgage interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, property taxes of 1.25 percent per year and home insurance cost of 0.4 percent per year on the value of the home.

The resulting salaries assume homeowners aren't spending more than the recommended 30 percent of their income on housing.

Below, take a closer look at what you'd need to earn annually to afford to purchase a home in 11 major U.S. cities.

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $418,482
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $350,000
Median home price: $1.6 million

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $349,650
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $292,000
Median home price: $1.3 million

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $187,306
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $156,000
Median home price: $714,935

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $171,575
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $143,000
Median home price: $654,889

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $107,692
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $90,000
Median home price: $496,328

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $95,360
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $79,000
Median home price: $363,984

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $61,847
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $51,000
Median home price: $236,065

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $53,388
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $44,000
Median home price: $203,777

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $48,887
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $40,000
Median home price: $186,597

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $37,429
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $31,000
Median home price: $142,864

Salary required with a 10 percent down payment: $29,036
Salary required with a 20 percent down payment: $24,000
Median home price: $110,827

Don't miss:

• US states with the highest levels of income inequality
• Take a look inside an $18 million beach house in the same exclusive neighborhood as Warren Buffett
• Suze Orman: Here's the No. 1 thing to do now if you want to buy a home soon

Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook!