Kansas City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale

Cost of Living Comparison

Kansas City

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$7,241
Rent (2BR) -$16,296
Net Income $46,463

To match your lifestyle in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, you'd need:

$162,323

The Verdict

Cost of Living Index

Kansas City 88.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale 173.0
Cheaper Avg (100) Pricier

Purchasing Power

Kansas City $52,817
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale $16,669

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$9,953
Rent (2BR) -$31,212
Net Income $28,835

To match your lifestyle in Kansas City, you'd need:

$32,927

The Bottom Line

On a $70,000 salary, you would have $17,628 more per year in Kansas City compared to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale. You'd pay $2,712 more in taxes in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, while housing costs 92% more. The cost of living in Kansas City is 12% below avg, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale is 73% above avg, making Kansas City the more affordable city overall. Your $70,000 salary in Kansas City feels like earning $162,323 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale once you factor in taxes, rent, and cost of living. For K-12 education, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale has a better pupil-teacher ratio (0:1 vs 0:1). College is more affordable in Kansas City ($17,636 vs $21,053 avg in-state tuition).

K-12 Schools

Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
Schools
713
2,529
Enrollment
354,348
1,973,265
Pupil:Teacher
0:1
0:1
Charter %
5.5%
2.9%
Title I %
0%
0%

Colleges & Universities

Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
Institutions
39
257
In-State Tuition
$17,636
$21,053
Out-of-State
$18,887
$24,543
Grad Rate
56.7%
65.1%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kansas City or Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale more expensive?

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale is more expensive with a cost of living index of 173.0 vs 88.0 (national average = 100).

What salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale equals $70,000 in Kansas City?

You would need to earn approximately $162,323 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale to maintain the same purchasing power as a $70,000 salary in Kansas City, after accounting for taxes, rent, and cost of living differences.

How much is rent in Kansas City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale?

Average annual rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $16,296 in Kansas City and $31,212 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale—housing is 92% more in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale.