City comparison
Austin, TX vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 10.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $110,300 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Wichita, KS ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.2% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,700 in Wichita | $110,253 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Wichita, KS | Real change, Austin → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $58,640 | $64,653 (+5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $105,980 | $116,847 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $79,270 | $87,398 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $76,540 | $84,388 (−13.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.