City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 19.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $119,900 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,307 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Kansas City, MO to Urban Honolulu, HI ($108,173 → $111,119), while prices change by +19.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.3% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,902 in Urban Honolulu | $83,401 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,307/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,307/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; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Kansas City → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $64,438 | −14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $77,964 | −14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $93,445 | −14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $111,119 | −14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $131,310 | −14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $73,080 | $60,950 (−0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $120,230 | $100,273 (−19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $74,990 | $62,543 (−21.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $139,260 | $116,145 (+39.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.