City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $110,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,892 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.4% moving from Kansas City, MO to Portland, ME ($108,173 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,066 in Portland | $90,855 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,892/yr.
37 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,892/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Portland, ME | Real change, Kansas City → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $69,905 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $84,579 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $101,375 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $120,548 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $142,452 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $76,770 | $69,749 (+14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $128,710 | $116,939 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,790 | $72,493 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $88,470 | $80,379 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.