Route comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Kansas City, MO and Des Moines, IA. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Kansas City, MO
MO
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 92.1
- Housing RPP
- 85.6
- Goods RPP
- 93.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,258/mo
Missouri income tax up to 4.95%. Kansas City earnings tax 1%.
Des Moines, IA
IA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 92.1
- Housing RPP
- 87.5
- Goods RPP
- 93.3
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,080/mo
Iowa income tax 4.4%-6.0%.
Equivalent salary
Des Moines, IA is more expensive than Kansas City, MO by about 0.0% (RPP 92.1 to 92.1).
$60,000 in Kansas City, MO
-> $60,000
in Des Moines, IA
$100,000 in Kansas City, MO
-> $100,000
in Des Moines, IA
$150,000 in Kansas City, MO
-> $150,000
in Des Moines, IA
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.
Migration signal: Kansas City, MO vs Des Moines, IA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Kansas City, MO
- Net people
- +11
- Net rank
- #32 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 1%
Largest source: Douglas County, KS. Largest destination: Douglas County, KS.
Des Moines, IA
- Net people
- +488
- Net rank
- #27 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Story County, IA. Largest destination: Story County, IA.
Rent delta: Des Moines, IA is $178/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Kansas City, MO. Housing RPP moves from 85.6 to 87.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Des Moines, IA cheaper or more expensive than Kansas City, MO?
- Des Moines, IA (RPP 92.1) is more expensive than Kansas City, MO (RPP 92.1) by about 0.0%.
- What salary do I need in Des Moines, IA if I earn $100,000 in Kansas City, MO?
- You would need approximately $100,000 in Des Moines, IA to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Kansas City, MO. Formula: $100,000 x (92.1 / 92.1).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Kansas City, MO or Des Moines, IA?
- For 2021-2022, Kansas City, MO had a net gain of 11 people, while Des Moines, IA had a net gain of 488 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.