Kansas City, MO vs Manhattan, KS: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Manhattan, KS is 2.6% less expensive than Kansas City, MO (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Kansas City works out to about $73,100 in Manhattan, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 16.9% less in Manhattan. Goods are 0.1% lower and other services 0.5% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,262 a month in Manhattan and $1,534 in Kansas City, $3,264 a year less in Manhattan (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $268,000 in Manhattan and $325,000 in Kansas City.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (2.0%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 16.9% lower in Manhattan than in Kansas City
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
All items Kansas City, MO: 92.5 Manhattan, KS: 90.2
Goods Kansas City, MO: 94.1 Manhattan, KS: 94.0
Housing (rents) Kansas City, MO: 86.6 Manhattan, KS: 72.0
Utilities Kansas City, MO: 89.0 Manhattan, KS: 88.4
Other services Kansas City, MO: 93.4 Manhattan, KS: 93.8
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.5 | 90.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.0 |
| Housing (rents) | 86.6 | 72.0 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 93.8 |
| Category | Kansas City | Manhattan | Manhattan vs Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.5 | 90.2 | −2.6% |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.0 | −0.1% |
| Housing (rents) | 86.6 | 72.0 | −16.9% |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.4 | −0.8% |
| Other services | 93.4 | 93.8 | +0.5% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,534 | $1,262 | −17.7% |
| Typical home value | $325,000 | $268,000 | −17.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Kansas City | $75,000 | $73,100 | −2.6% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Kansas City and Manhattan has narrowed since 2008: 7.2 points then, 2.4 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
US average = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.1 | 85.8 |
| 2009 | 95.0 | 88.6 |
| 2010 | 96.0 | 93.0 |
| 2011 | 96.6 | 92.6 |
| 2012 | 96.9 | 94.5 |
| 2013 | 95.8 | 94.8 |
| 2014 | 97.1 | 94.7 |
| 2015 | 98.6 | 91.5 |
| 2016 | 97.2 | 89.5 |
| 2017 | 96.9 | 90.7 |
| 2018 | 94.2 | 93.7 |
| 2019 | 94.9 | 93.0 |
| 2020 | 95.0 | 91.7 |
| 2021 | 93.6 | 90.7 |
| 2022 | 92.0 | 89.4 |
| 2023 | 93.2 | 90.2 |
| 2024 | 92.5 | 90.2 |
Goods
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 92.4 | 78.3 |
| 2009 | 98.9 | 85.2 |
| 2010 | 96.0 | 93.9 |
| 2011 | 96.6 | 94.4 |
| 2012 | 97.8 | 95.3 |
| 2013 | 97.5 | 94.2 |
| 2014 | 97.4 | 95.1 |
| 2015 | 98.8 | 95.5 |
| 2016 | 97.8 | 94.2 |
| 2017 | 98.0 | 93.7 |
| 2018 | 95.1 | 95.0 |
| 2019 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2020 | 95.8 | 95.9 |
| 2021 | 94.0 | 93.8 |
| 2022 | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| 2023 | 96.6 | 96.5 |
| 2024 | 94.1 | 94.0 |
Housing (rents)
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 88.8 | 80.4 |
| 2009 | 85.3 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 88.2 | 87.3 |
| 2011 | 87.3 | 92.1 |
| 2012 | 85.3 | 95.6 |
| 2013 | 86.9 | 100.2 |
| 2014 | 84.1 | 98.4 |
| 2015 | 87.1 | 89.0 |
| 2016 | 85.3 | 81.0 |
| 2017 | 85.4 | 89.2 |
| 2018 | 83.3 | 80.7 |
| 2019 | 84.6 | 76.5 |
| 2020 | 87.6 | 70.7 |
| 2021 | 84.8 | 67.7 |
| 2022 | 85.6 | 70.9 |
| 2023 | 88.0 | 71.8 |
| 2024 | 86.6 | 72.0 |
Utilities
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 86.3 | 79.6 |
| 2009 | 88.8 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 90.3 | 87.4 |
| 2011 | 90.4 | 79.8 |
| 2012 | 85.6 | 80.5 |
| 2013 | 86.1 | 84.2 |
| 2014 | 83.8 | 85.4 |
| 2015 | 95.4 | 85.6 |
| 2016 | 95.8 | 90.9 |
| 2017 | 101.0 | 91.8 |
| 2018 | 99.2 | 104.0 |
| 2019 | 97.9 | 100.5 |
| 2020 | 99.0 | 101.6 |
| 2021 | 97.1 | 100.6 |
| 2022 | 98.0 | 103.2 |
| 2023 | 91.4 | 91.1 |
| 2024 | 89.0 | 88.4 |
Other services
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.3 | 94.7 |
| 2009 | 95.7 | 94.5 |
| 2010 | 98.8 | 94.9 |
| 2011 | 99.8 | 92.6 |
| 2012 | 100.6 | 94.7 |
| 2013 | 98.2 | 94.1 |
| 2014 | 102.0 | 93.9 |
| 2015 | 102.2 | 90.4 |
| 2016 | 100.6 | 89.7 |
| 2017 | 99.4 | 89.3 |
| 2018 | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| 2019 | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| 2020 | 96.7 | 97.1 |
| 2021 | 95.8 | 96.6 |
| 2022 | 92.3 | 92.9 |
| 2023 | 92.6 | 93.0 |
| 2024 | 93.4 | 93.8 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,262 in Manhattan vs $1,534 in Kansas City
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $868 | $937 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $881 | $928 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $888 | $929 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $885 | $916 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $898 | $927 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $910 | $923 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $923 | $926 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $922 | $907 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $934 | $937 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $953 | $920 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $960 | $916 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $963 | $930 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $972 | $937 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $990 | $927 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $993 | $912 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $992 | $948 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $1,009 | $939 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $1,031 | $926 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $1,032 | $912 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $1,031 | $945 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $1,050 | $947 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $1,072 | $938 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $1,092 | $940 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,083 | $960 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $1,109 | $972 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,156 | $975 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,179 | $980 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,192 | $1,002 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,219 | $1,016 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,269 | $1,023 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,293 | $1,044 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,288 | $1,048 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,307 | $1,049 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,344 | $1,073 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,348 | $1,073 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,356 | $1,097 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,374 | $1,104 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,408 | $1,121 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,419 | $1,153 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,412 | $1,157 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,445 | $1,177 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,470 | $1,196 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,477 | $1,217 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,472 | $1,236 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,490 | $1,242 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,519 | $1,257 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,534 | $1,262 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $268,000 in Manhattan vs $325,000 in Kansas City
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Kansas City, MO
- Manhattan, KS
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Kansas City, MO | Manhattan, KS | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $152K | $165K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $154K | $167K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $157K | $170K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $160K | $171K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $163K | $171K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $166K | $171K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $169K | $170K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $172K | $172K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $176K | $175K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $180K | $177K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $182K | $178K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $185K | $179K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $190K | $181K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $194K | $182K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $197K | $181K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $199K | $181K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $202K | $182K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $205K | $184K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $205K | $185K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $208K | $187K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $213K | $189K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $216K | $189K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $221K | $192K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $232K | $195K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $241K | $199K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $254K | $207K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $258K | $211K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $260K | $213K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $273K | $219K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $285K | $225K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $285K | $227K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $284K | $227K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $286K | $231K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $292K | $232K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $297K | $233K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $299K | $234K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $301K | $236K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $304K | $239K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $306K | $242K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $309K | $248K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $311K | $253K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $310K | $255K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $313K | $260K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $317K | $263K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $320K | $266K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $321K | $266K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $325K | $268K | $366K |
More about each city
- Cost of living in Kansas City, MO
- Cost of living in Manhattan, KS
- Reverse: moving from Manhattan to Kansas City
Related comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.