City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.7% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $104,700 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,471 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Kansas City, MO to Tucson, AZ ($108,173 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,704 in Tucson | $95,508 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,471/yr.
55 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,471/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Kansas City → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $62,893 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $76,095 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $91,205 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $108,455 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $128,162 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $47,220 | $45,099 (−26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $123,710 | $118,152 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,320 | $72,891 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $94,110 | $89,882 (+8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.