City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Birmingham, AL (91.6) and Kansas City, MO (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $101,000 in Kansas City, MO.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,197 in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $972 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.6% moving from Birmingham, AL to Kansas City, MO ($107,510 → $108,173), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,981 in Kansas City | $99,029 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$972/yr.
66 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$972/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Birmingham → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $62,729 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $75,897 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $90,968 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $108,173 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $127,829 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,060 | $60,467 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $124,990 | $123,776 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $80,040 | $79,262 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $83,040 | $82,233 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.