City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 1.9% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $101,900 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,149 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,942 in Kansas City | $98,095 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,149/yr.
63 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,149/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Baton Rouge → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,060 | $59,897 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $124,990 | $122,609 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $80,040 | $78,515 (+7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $83,040 | $81,458 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.