City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 12.7% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $112,700 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Wichita, KS ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,744 in Wichita | $112,684 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Wichita, KS | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $58,640 | $66,078 (+23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $105,980 | $119,423 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $79,270 | $89,325 (+12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $76,540 | $86,248 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.