City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Augusta, GA are 3.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $103,300 in Augusta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Augusta, GA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,780 in KS.
- 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 Augusta, GA to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +3.3%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,782 in Wichita | $103,324 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
79 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Augusta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Augusta, GA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Augusta → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $58,640 | $60,589 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $105,980 | $109,503 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $79,270 | $81,905 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $76,540 | $79,085 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.