City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 3.5% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $103,500 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,457 in Syracuse | $96,659 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $52,990 |
| 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 Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
58 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Kansas City → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $78,560 | $75,935 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $129,100 | $124,786 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $82,230 | $79,482 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $86,960 | $84,054 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.