City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 15.3% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $115,300 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Kansas City, MO to Sacramento, CA ($108,173 → $117,984), while prices change by +15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,265 in Sacramento | $86,756 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/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; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Kansas City → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $68,419 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $82,780 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $99,218 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $117,984 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $139,422 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $103,390 | $89,697 (+46.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $139,640 | $121,147 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $92,110 | $79,911 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $171,460 | $148,752 (+79.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.