City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 1.3% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,300 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (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
| Fayetteville, AR | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,303 in Kansas City | $98,714 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$75/yr.
65 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$75/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Fayetteville → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $61,060 | $60,275 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $124,990 | $123,383 (+17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,040 | $79,011 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $83,040 | $81,972 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.