City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 24.8% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $124,800 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,290 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Wichita, KS ($111,119 → $106,437), while prices change by −19.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.5% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much 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
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $80,160 in Wichita | $124,751 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,290/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Wichita, KS | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $61,722 | +19.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $74,678 | +19.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $89,508 | +19.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $106,437 | +19.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $125,776 | +19.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $58,640 | $73,154 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $105,980 | $132,211 (+10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $79,270 | $98,890 (+31.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $76,540 | $95,484 (−31.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.