City comparison
Santa Rosa, CA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Rosa, CA are 21.2% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $121,200 in Santa Rosa, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, CA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Santa Rosa, CA than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Santa Rosa, CA to Wichita, KS ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Santa Rosa, CA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 107.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,522 in Wichita | $121,179 in Santa Rosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,155/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 35% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,850 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Rosa | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 139.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 154.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 107.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Rosa, CA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Santa Rosa, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.5%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
23 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Rosa, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Rosa, CA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Rosa, CA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Santa Rosa → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Rosa, CA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Santa Rosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,060 | $58,640 | $71,059 (−28.3%) |
| Software Developers | $148,630 | $105,980 | $128,426 (−13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,690 | $79,270 | $96,059 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $174,550 | $76,540 | $92,751 (−46.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.