City comparison
Reno, NV vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 13.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $113,600 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Wichita, KS ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.1% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,053 in Wichita | $113,568 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Wichita, KS | Real change, Reno → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $58,640 | $66,596 (+6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $105,980 | $120,359 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $79,270 | $90,025 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $76,540 | $86,925 (−19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.