City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 1.6% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,600 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Spartanburg, SC ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,388 in Spartanburg | $101,639 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
74 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Kansas City → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $60,990 | $61,989 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $114,460 | $116,336 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $77,080 | $78,343 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $82,360 | $83,710 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.