Chicago vs Kansas City
Chicago, IL · Kansas City, MO
Kansas City is 19% cheaper than Chicago overall.
Home Price
Chicago: $315,000
Kansas: $270,000
Monthly Rent
Chicago: $2,288/mo
Kansas: $1,146/mo
COL Index
Chicago: 114
Kansas: 92
Median Income
Chicago: $70,100
Kansas: $67,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $80,702 in Kansas City — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Kansas City cost 14% more (-$45,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Kansas City saves you $1,142/month — $13,704 per year. Median rent: $2,288/mo in Chicago vs $1,146/mo in Kansas City.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Chicago owners pay roughly $6,615/year in property taxes vs $2,700/year in Kansas City. That's a $3,915 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,100 in Chicago and $67,800 in Kansas City. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Chicago vs 23 minutes in Kansas City. Over a year, that's 4000 extra minutes (67 hours) of commuting in Chicago.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Chicago to Kansas City, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Kansas City | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,351 | -$9,649 |
| $75,000 | $60,526 | -$14,474 |
| $100,000 | $80,702 | -$19,298 |
| $150,000 | $121,053 | -$28,947 |
| $200,000 | $161,404 | -$38,596 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Chicago Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Chicago vs Kansas City: Common Questions
Is Chicago or Kansas City cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Kansas City is cheaper overall. Chicago has a COL index of 114 while Kansas City scores 92 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Chicago and Kansas City?
The median home price in Chicago is $315,000 vs $270,000 in Kansas City — a difference of $45,000 (14%).
What salary do I need in Kansas City to match my Chicago income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Chicago is equivalent to $80,702 in Kansas City in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Kansas City has a lower property tax rate (1% vs 2.1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,700/year vs $6,615/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.