City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 13.4% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $113,400 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,246 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Salt Lake City, UT to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +13.4%, purely from prices.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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
| Salt Lake City, UT | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,181 in Wichita | $113,404 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,246/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,246/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Salt Lake City, UT to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Wichita, KS | Real change, Salt Lake City → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +13.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +13.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +13.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +13.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +13.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $58,640 | $66,500 (−14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $105,980 | $120,185 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $79,270 | $89,895 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $76,540 | $86,799 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.