City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 12.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $112,900 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $624 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.2% moving from Baltimore, MD to Kansas City, MO ($121,785 → $108,173), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (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
| Baltimore, MD | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,569 in Kansas City | $112,906 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$624/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$624/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Baltimore → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,729 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,897 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $90,968 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,173 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $127,829 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $61,060 | $68,941 (−9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $124,990 | $141,122 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $80,040 | $90,370 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $83,040 | $93,758 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.