City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.2% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $103,200 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,197 in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Columbus, OH to Kansas City, MO ($111,065 → $108,173), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,935 in Kansas City | $103,162 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
79 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Columbus → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,729 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,897 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,968 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $108,173 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $127,829 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,060 | $62,991 (−19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $124,990 | $128,942 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,040 | $82,571 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $83,040 | $85,666 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.