City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.5% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $101,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Cleveland, OH to Kansas City, MO ($111,138 → $108,173), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,531 in Kansas City | $101,491 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
73 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Cleveland → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,729 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,897 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,968 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $108,173 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $127,829 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,060 | $61,971 (−19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $124,990 | $126,854 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $80,040 | $81,234 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $83,040 | $84,278 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.