City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 5.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $105,600 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,813 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Wichita, KS ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,701 in Wichita | $105,596 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,813/yr.
86 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,813/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Wichita, KS | Real change, Cleveland → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $58,640 | $61,921 (−19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $105,980 | $111,910 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,270 | $83,706 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $76,540 | $80,823 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.