City profile
Kansas City, MO cost of living
MO · BLS RPP 92.1
Overall RPP
92.1
US = 100
Housing RPP
85.6
Housing component
Goods RPP
93.7
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,258/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Kansas City, MO sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#59 of 67
-7.9 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-6.3
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#52 of 67
-348/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Kansas City, MO
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Kansas City, MO metro.
Moved in
116,909
people · 67,838 households
Moved out
116,898
people · 67,178 households
Net
+11
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#32 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+115
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 1% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Douglas County, KS 2,052
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,164
- Sedgwick County, KS 1,105
- Shawnee County, KS 981
- Johnson County, MO 941
Where residents moved to
- Douglas County, KS 1,657
- Johnson County, MO 1,208
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,042
- Sedgwick County, KS 769
- Buchanan County, MO 710
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Kansas City, MO?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Kansas City, MO | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,050 | $50,000 x (92.1/100) |
| $75,000 | $69,075 | $75,000 x (92.1/100) |
| $100,000 | $92,100 | $100,000 x (92.1/100) |
| $125,000 | $115,125 | $125,000 x (92.1/100) |
| $150,000 | $138,150 | $150,000 x (92.1/100) |
| $200,000 | $184,200 | $200,000 x (92.1/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Missouri income tax up to 4.95%. Kansas City earnings tax 1%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Kansas City, MO?
- Kansas City, MO has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 92.1 (US average = 100). It is 7.9% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Kansas City, MO?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $92,100 in Kansas City, MO to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Kansas City, MO?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Kansas City, MO is approximately $1,258 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Kansas City, MO?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 116,909 people moved into the Kansas City, MO metro and 116,898 moved out — a net gain of roughly 11 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Douglas County, KS.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Kansas City, MO, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Kansas City, MO
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