City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 3.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $103,100 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.4% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Kansas City, MO ($110,865 → $108,173), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,036 in Kansas City | $103,055 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
78 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Cincinnati → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $62,729 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $75,897 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $90,968 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $108,173 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $127,829 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,060 | $62,925 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $124,990 | $128,808 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $80,040 | $82,485 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $83,040 | $85,577 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.