City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 12.8% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $112,800 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, WA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Spokane, WA to Wichita, KS ($106,991 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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
| Spokane, WA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,639 in Wichita | $112,817 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Spokane → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $61,722 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $74,678 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $89,508 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $106,437 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $125,776 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $58,640 | $66,156 (−33.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $105,980 | $119,563 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $79,270 | $89,430 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $76,540 | $86,350 (−22.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.