City comparison
Denver, CO vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 14.3% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $114,300 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Denver, CO to Kansas City, MO ($118,675 → $108,173), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,485 in Kansas City | $114,306 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$71/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$71/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Denver → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,729 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,897 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,968 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,173 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $127,829 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $61,060 | $69,795 (−9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $124,990 | $142,871 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $80,040 | $91,490 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $83,040 | $94,920 (−6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.