Cost of Living in Kansas City, MO-KS
Is it worth moving here?
How far does a $70,000 salary go in Kansas City? Estimated income taxes on that gross salary total approximately $7,241 per year — MO-KS levies no state income tax, so that figure covers federal tax only. Subtract rent for a 2-bedroom apartment ($1,358/month based on HUD Fair Market Rents for the Kansas City metro area) and the estimated annual take-home is $46,463, or roughly $3,872 per month for everything else: food, transportation, savings, and discretionary spending.
The Kansas City metro has a cost of living index of 88.0 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (national average = 100). At 12% below the national average, Kansas City is a genuinely affordable metro where everyday expenses stretch further than in most cities.
At a $70,000 salary, the estimated 2-bedroom rent in Kansas City represents approximately 23% of gross income. That falls comfortably below the 30% rent-burden guideline, a healthy position for building savings. MO-KS's zero income tax helps offset the rent burden compared to otherwise similar cities that also levy state income tax.
Annual Breakdown
Cost of Living Index
Living in Kansas City, MO-KS is roughly 12% less expensive than the national average.
Monthly Take-Home
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Affordability Score
K-12 Schools
See Details →Colleges & Universities
See Details →| Institution | Enrollment | In-State Tuition | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lex La-Ray Technical Center | 22 | $0 | 100.0% |
| Cass Career Center | 20 | $0 | 100.0% |
| Mitsu Sato Hair Academy | 97 | $0 | 86.0% |
| Ea La Mar's Cosmetology & Barber College | 32 | $0 | 80.0% |
| Rockhurst University | 3,496 | $41,900 | 76.0% |
| House of Heavilin Beauty College-Blue Springs | 120 | $0 | 75.0% |
| Z Hair Academy | 307 | $0 | 74.0% |
| Concorde Career College-Broadway | 31 | $0 | 71.0% |
| Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | 3,840 | $10,020 | 70.0% |
| Summit Salon Academy Kansas City | 108 | $0 | 70.0% |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Overland Park | 189 | $0 | 67.0% |
| Kansas City Art Institute | 789 | $42,000 | 65.0% |
| William Jewell College | 886 | $18,600 | 62.0% |
| WellSpring School of Allied Health-Kansas City | 179 | $0 | 60.0% |
| Concorde Career College-Kansas City | 240 | $0 | 57.0% |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | 15,277 | $11,190 | 56.0% |
| Pinnacle Career Institute | 488 | $0 | 56.0% |
| Calvary University | 262 | $12,210 | 53.0% |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | 1,539 | $35,120 | 46.0% |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City | 211 | $16,520 | 46.0% |
| University of Saint Mary | 1,414 | $32,750 | 44.0% |
| Avila University | 1,733 | $38,762 | 43.0% |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals | 36 | $0 | 40.0% |
| Kansas City Kansas Community College | 4,803 | $2,548 | 38.0% |
| Donnelly College | 349 | $11,813 | 38.0% |
| House of Heavilin Beauty College-Kansas City | 60 | $0 | 35.0% |
| Cleveland University-Kansas City | 588 | $14,400 | 33.0% |
| Park University | 6,634 | $11,908 | 30.0% |
| Johnson County Community College | 17,121 | $2,400 | 29.0% |
| Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | 12,994 | $7,110 | 29.0% |
| Kansas Christian College | 143 | $9,600 | 29.0% |
| Kansas City University | 2,048 | $0 | — |
| Ottawa University-Online | 957 | $11,976 | — |
| Ottawa University-Kansas City | 431 | $11,976 | — |
| Research College of Nursing | 303 | $21,160 | — |
| City Vision University | 234 | $6,400 | — |
| Nazarene Theological Seminary | 172 | $0 | — |
| Saint Paul School of Theology | 100 | $0 | — |