City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 2.4% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $102,400 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,763 a year in MO and $3,955 in OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Oklahoma City, OK ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,693 in Oklahoma City | $102,362 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $47,230 |
| 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 Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$192/yr.
76 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$192/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Kansas City → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $48,780 | $49,932 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $122,390 | $125,280 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $77,280 | $79,105 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $82,920 | $84,878 (+2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.