Cost of living in Kansas City: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Kansas City sits 7.5% below the US average: in 2024 the regional price parity (RPP) that BEA reports for the metro area of Kansas City, MO is 92.5, the US stands at 100, and housing by itself is 86.6.
- Prices in general
- 92.5US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 86.6. For rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Kansas City
A regional price parity sets the cost of one basket of goods and services in a place against the US average, which is set at 100. The Kansas City, MO-KS metro area includes Kansas City, and BEA prices that area as a whole. Housing (rents) is the part furthest from the US average, at 86.6, or 13.4% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Kansas City, MO metro | Missouri | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.5 | 90.8 | −7.5% |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 | −5.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 86.6 | 69.9 | −13.4% |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 79.4 | −11.0% |
| Other services | 93.4 | 95.2 | −6.6% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (U.S.). BEA regional price parities
Kansas City rents
Homes listed now in Kansas City carry a typical asking rent of $1,446 each month, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Year on year, that figure moved +4.3%. In the US, it is $1,932. Census puts median gross rent at $1,292, a figure that covers every renting household, not just new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 25% of median household income.
| Rent | Kansas City | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,446 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +4.3% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,292 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income that a year of asking rent takes up | 25% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index, plus Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 with one-year estimates.
Kansas City home prices
The ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) put the value of a typical home in Kansas City at $250,185 in September 2026, a figure for a home priced in the middle of the market. That figure is up +1.9% over a year, while the US figure stands at $366,157. That equals 3.6 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Kansas City | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $250,185 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.9% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +100.8% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 14.4 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast and the price chart since 2000: Kansas City housing market.
The pay you need to live in Kansas City
Two questions set the Kansas City salary that buys what your pay buys now: the place you live in, and what you earn.
- Moving out of
- Salary
Side-by-side figures for every city, with the method explained: city cost of living comparison.
Moving to Kansas City? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Kansas City cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Prices in general | Housing | Typical rent figure | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 92.5 | 86.6 | $1,446 | $250,185 |
| St. Louis | 95.1 | 79.0 | $1,292 | $181,157 |
| Springfield, Missouri | 88.6 | 65.6 | $1,192 | $243,597 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels come from the BEA regional price parities for 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: city-by-city cost of living comparison. All states: cost of living in each state.