City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 4.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $104,900 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Kansas City, MO to Rochester, NY ($108,173 → $107,182), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,854 in Rochester | $95,371 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,256/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
54 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Rochester, NY | Real change, Kansas City → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $62,155 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $75,202 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $90,135 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $107,182 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $126,657 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $62,840 | $59,931 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $122,770 | $117,087 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $80,890 | $77,145 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $86,570 | $82,562 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.