City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 5.8% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $105,800 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,173 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Kansas City, MO to Virginia Beach, VA ($108,173 → $108,019), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,833 in Virginia Beach | $94,489 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,173/yr.
52 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,173/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Kansas City → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $62,640 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $75,788 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $90,838 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $108,019 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $127,646 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $63,380 | $59,887 (−1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $129,090 | $121,975 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,450 | $75,071 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $89,450 | $84,520 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.