City comparison
Provo, UT vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 10.4% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $110,400 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,246 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Provo, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Provo, UT to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +10.4%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,547 in Wichita | $110,440 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,246/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,246/yr.
39 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Wichita, KS | Real change, Provo → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $97,430 | $91,670 | $101,240 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $105,980 | $117,044 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $79,270 | $87,546 (+15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $76,540 | $84,531 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.