City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 7.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $107,300 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,813 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Wichita, KS ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,167 in Wichita | $107,334 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,813/yr.
92 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,813/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Wichita, KS | Real change, Columbus → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $58,640 | $62,940 (−19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $105,980 | $113,752 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,270 | $85,083 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $76,540 | $82,153 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.