City comparison
Denver, CO vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 18.9% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $118,900 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,089 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Wichita, KS ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,084 in Wichita | $118,928 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,089/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,089/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Wichita, KS | Real change, Denver → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $58,640 | $69,740 (−9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $105,980 | $126,040 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,270 | $94,274 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $76,540 | $91,028 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.