City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $111,900 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.1% moving from Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO ($118,984 → $108,173), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,332 in Kansas City | $111,943 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Chicago → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,729 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,897 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,968 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,173 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,829 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,060 | $68,352 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $124,990 | $139,917 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $80,040 | $89,599 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,040 | $92,957 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.