City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 5.0% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $105,000 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO and $1,230 in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Lakeland, FL ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,969 in Lakeland | $95,267 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
54 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Kansas City → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $50,420 | $48,033 (−21.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $122,200 | $116,416 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,820 | $73,184 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $84,030 | $80,053 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.