City comparison

Green Bay, WI vs Kansas City, MO

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Overall prices in Green Bay, WI (93.1) and Kansas City, MO (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Green Bay, WI goes as far as $99,400 in Kansas City, MO.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
  • Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,763 in MO.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Green Bay, WI to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
Green BayKansas City
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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

Green Bay, WIKansas City, MO
Price level (U.S. = 100)293.192.5
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$99,417 in Kansas City$100,587 in Green Bay
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$931/mo$1,197/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$75,261$75,417
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$3,919 (WI)$3,763 (MO)
Rent burden on $100,00015%19%
Median pay, all jobs4$49,940$50,820
Federal locality pay area7Rest of U.S.Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS

Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Kansas City, MO-KS.

What costs more or less

Green Bay, WIKansas City, MO
Price level (U.S. = 100)Green BayKansas City
Housing (rent)74.786.6
Goods93.894.1
Utilities90.089.0
Other services99.493.4
Overall93.192.5
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Green Bay, WI → Kansas City, MO

Roughly even

Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$157/yr.

71 Strong offer

Kansas City, MO → Green Bay, WI

Roughly even

Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$157/yr.

67 Fair offer

On the GS pay scale?

Green Bay, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Green Bay, WI to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Green Bay, WIKansas City, MOReal change, Green Bay → Kansas City
GS-9 step 1$61,722$62,729+2.2%
GS-11 step 1$74,678$75,897+2.2%
GS-12 step 1$89,508$90,968+2.2%
GS-13 step 1$106,437$108,173+2.2%
GS-14 step 1$125,776$127,829+2.2%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Green Bay, WIKansas City, MOKansas City pay in Green Bay dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$60,600$61,060$61,418 (+1.4%)
Software Developers$103,160$124,990$125,723 (+21.9%)
Accountants and Auditors$77,720$80,040$80,510 (+3.6%)
Registered Nurses$84,700$83,040$83,527 (−1.4%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.