City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 25.8% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $125,800 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.5% moving from San Diego, CA to Wichita, KS ($121,585 → $106,437), while prices change by −20.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (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
| San Diego, CA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $79,496 in Wichita | $125,792 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/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 | 40% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +25.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Wichita, KS | Real change, San Diego → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $61,722 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $74,678 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $89,508 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $106,437 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $125,776 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $58,640 | $73,764 (−24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $105,980 | $133,314 (−18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $79,270 | $99,715 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $76,540 | $96,281 (−31.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.