City comparison
Salinas, CA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 22.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $122,600 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Salinas, CA to Wichita, KS ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
- 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
| Salinas, CA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,570 in Wichita | $122,593 in Salinas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,232/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 36% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,380 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salinas, CA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salinas, CA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salinas | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 145.7 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 154.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 109.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salinas, CA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.4%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
21 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salinas, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salinas, CA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salinas, CA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Salinas → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salinas, CA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Salinas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,220 | $58,640 | $71,889 (−28.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,160 | $105,980 | $129,925 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,810 | $79,270 | $97,180 (+16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,910 | $76,540 | $93,833 (−30.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.