City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.4% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $108,400 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Detroit, MI to Kansas City, MO ($117,402 → $108,173), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,268 in Kansas City | $108,380 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$237/yr.
95 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$237/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Detroit → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,729 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,897 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,968 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $108,173 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $127,829 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $61,060 | $66,177 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $124,990 | $135,464 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $80,040 | $86,747 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $83,040 | $89,999 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.