City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 10.4% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $110,400 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Fresno, CA to Kansas City, MO ($106,973 → $108,173), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.6% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,588 in Kansas City | $110,390 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Fresno → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,729 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $75,897 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $90,968 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,173 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $127,829 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $61,060 | $67,404 (−14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $124,990 | $137,976 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $80,040 | $88,356 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $83,040 | $91,668 (−26.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.