City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 21.6% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $121,600 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in New York, NY than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Kansas City, MO to New York, NY ($108,173 → $125,431), while prices change by +21.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,633 in New York | $82,214 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.8%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | New York, NY | Real change, Kansas City → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $72,737 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $88,005 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $105,481 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $125,431 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $148,222 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | New York, NY | New York pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $96,900 | $79,666 (+30.5%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $166,830 | $137,158 (+9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $105,650 | $86,860 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $119,720 | $98,427 (+18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.