City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 13.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $113,900 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,197 in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.1% moving from Anchorage, AK to Kansas City, MO ($120,348 → $108,173), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,785 in Kansas City | $113,915 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Anchorage → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,729 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $75,897 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $90,968 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $108,173 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $127,829 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,060 | $69,556 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $124,990 | $142,382 (+36.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,040 | $91,177 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $83,040 | $94,595 (−18.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.