City comparison
Boston, MA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 17.0% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $117,000 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,017 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boston, MA to Kansas City, MO ($120,548 → $108,173), while prices change by −14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,477 in Kansas City | $116,990 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,017/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,017/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Boston → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,729 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,897 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,968 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,173 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,829 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,060 | $71,434 (−27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $124,990 | $146,226 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $80,040 | $93,639 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $83,040 | $97,148 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.