City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 4.0% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $104,000 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,018 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Wichita, KS ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (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 | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,113 in Wichita | $104,044 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,018/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,018/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Wichita, KS | Real change, Kansas City → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $58,640 | $61,011 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $105,980 | $110,266 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,270 | $82,476 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $76,540 | $79,635 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.