Cost of Living in Kansas City, Missouri
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Kansas City, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 521,220
- Median household income
- $69,958
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 92.5
- Unemployment rate
- 2.7%
Is Kansas City a good place to live?
Kansas City sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 94 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Kansas City keeps $7,381 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living7% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,416 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,424 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $508 of local income tax
Cost of living in Kansas City
Prices in the Kansas City, MO-KS area run 7% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 13% below the US average.
- Housing13% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities11% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)7% below the US average
- All items7% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,416 | $16,992 |
| Food | $465 | $5,580 |
| Transportation | $367 | $4,404 |
| Healthcare | $329 | $3,948 |
| Utilities | $232 | $2,784 |
| Total before taxes | $2,809 | $33,708 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Kansas City | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,304 | $1,257 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,416 | $1,366 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,603 | $1,546 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,094 | $2,020 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,508 | $2,419 |
Living in Kansas City
How Kansas City compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Kansas City | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,958 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $261,600 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,292 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 42.4% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 15.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 39.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 35.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 21.8 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 15.4% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 2% | 3.7% |
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Kansas City, led by Spectrum, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon. Fiber reaches 93.5% of homes and 95% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Kansas City
Pros and cons of living in Kansas City
Pros
- Strong job market. Unemployment is 2.7%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 21.8 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 7% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $261,600, against $360,600 nationally.
Cons
- Local income tax. Residents also pay City of Kansas City earnings tax income tax: $508 on a typical wage.
What your job keeps in Kansas City
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $50,820
- Federal income tax
- −$3,918
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,888
- State income tax
- −$1,424
- Local income tax
- −$508
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,992
- Everyday costs
- −$16,709
a year, or $615 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Kansas City, MO-KS. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Kansas City, MO-KS area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $134,640 | $62,854 |
| Software engineer | $124,990 | $56,852 |
| Project manager | $101,050 | $41,426 |
| Registered nurse | $83,040 | $29,796 |
| Accountant | $80,040 | $27,854 |
| Electrician | $76,860 | $25,794 |
| Teacher | $61,367 | $15,263 |
| Truck driver | $60,170 | $14,369 |
| Auto mechanic | $53,790 | $9,600 |
| Nursing assistant | $39,710 | −$910 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Kansas City on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $15,595
- Civil engineer $40,040
- Data scientist $40,694
- Dental assistant $5,432
- Dental hygienist $36,083
- Dentist $86,066
- Diesel mechanic $16,162
- Financial analyst $39,275
- Firefighter $14,817
- HVAC technician $16,244
- Licensed practical nurse $17,546
- Lineman $41,873
- Mechanical engineer $40,538
- Medical assistant $3,271
- Nurse practitioner $60,424
- Occupational therapist $40,675
- Paralegal $17,141
- Paramedic $13,884
- Pharmacist $65,874
- Pharmacy technician $3,316
- Physical therapist $41,569
- Physician assistant $62,046
- Plumber $25,335
- Police officer $16,454
- Radiologic technologist $26,753
- Respiratory therapist $27,271
- Social worker $11,320
- Speech-language pathologist $31,791
- Veterinarian $55,285
- Welder $12,276
Local income tax:
Compare Kansas City with other cities
Compare Kansas City with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Kansas City
23 licensed interstate movers are based in Kansas City, and 44 more elsewhere in the Kansas City, MO-KS area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Kansas City, MO a good place to live?
Kansas City sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 94 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $50,820 and keeps $7,381 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Kansas City?
Prices in the Kansas City, MO-KS area are 7% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,416 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,392 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Kansas City?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $41,000 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Kansas City, MO-KS area earns $50,820.
What is the average rent in Kansas City?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,304 for a studio, $1,416 for a 1-bedroom and $1,603 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Kansas City at $1,292 a month (2024).
Does Kansas City have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $50,820, Missouri state income tax comes to about $1,424 a year. Kansas City residents also pay City of Kansas City earnings tax income tax, about $508 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Kansas City?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Kansas City, led by Spectrum, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon. 93.5% of homes can get fiber and 95% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate