City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $106,100 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Kansas City, MO to Raleigh, NC ($108,173 → $111,147), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,066 in Raleigh | $94,281 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
50 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Kansas City → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $64,453 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $77,983 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $93,468 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $111,147 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $131,342 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $60,170 | $56,729 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $132,770 | $125,176 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $81,950 | $77,263 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $84,830 | $79,978 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.