City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 8.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $108,100 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $805 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Atlanta, GA to Kansas City, MO ($112,556 → $108,173), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,489 in Kansas City | $108,121 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$805/yr.
94 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$805/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Atlanta → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,729 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,897 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $90,968 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $108,173 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $127,829 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $61,060 | $66,018 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $124,990 | $135,140 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $80,040 | $86,540 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,040 | $89,783 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.