USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Missouri vs Kansas: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in Missouri or Kansas?

  • Overall, living costs in Kansas and Missouri are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Missouri works out to about $74,400 in Kansas, before taxes.
  • Housing is 1.8% higher in Kansas, goods 2.4% lower and other services 1.4% lower, which roughly cancel out.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $59,172 in Kansas and $57,850 in Missouri (2.3% higher in Kansas; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 88.8 in Topeka, KS to 90.2 in Lawrence, KS (Kansas) and from 85.7 in Joplin, MO to 95.1 in St. Louis, MO (Missouri), US = 100.
  • The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.2%).

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Overall prices are about the same in Missouri and Kansas

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
All items
90.8 90.1
Goods
96.3 94.0
Housing (rents)
69.9 71.2
Utilities
79.4 88.4
Other services
95.2 93.8

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
All items90.890.1
Goods96.394.0
Housing (rents)69.971.2
Utilities79.488.4
Other services95.293.8
CategoryMissouriKansasKansas vs Missouri
All items90.890.1−0.8%
Goods96.394.0−2.4%
Housing (rents)69.971.2+1.8%
Utilities79.488.4+11.4%
Other services95.293.8−1.4%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $57,850 $59,172 +2.3%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $4.14 $4.14 0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Missouri $75,000 $74,400 −0.8%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate Missouri figure). *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate Kansas figure).

Cheapest and most expensive places in each state

Missouri

  1. Joplin, MO 85.7
  2. Cape Girardeau, MO 86.1
  3. St. Joseph, MO 86.4
  4. Jefferson City, MO 88.0
  5. Springfield, MO 88.6
  6. Columbia, MO 89.4
  7. Kansas City, MO 92.5
  8. St. Louis, MO 95.1

Kansas

  1. Joplin, MO 85.7
  2. St. Joseph, MO 86.4
  3. Topeka, KS 88.8
  4. Wichita, KS 88.9
  5. Manhattan, KS 90.2
  6. Lawrence, KS 90.2
  7. Kansas City, MO 92.5

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Missouri and Kansas has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
200888.489.9
200990.591.8
201093.193.0
201192.592.8
201292.493.3
201392.892.6
201493.493.1
201592.392.8
201691.792.1
201791.791.6
201891.892.4
201992.592.7
202092.292.3
202192.091.3
202291.089.6
202391.189.9
202490.890.1

Goods

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
200887.488.7
200991.593.7
201096.595.5
201195.395.8
201295.896.9
201396.896.2
201497.697.0
201597.497.4
201696.396.4
201796.095.8
201896.095.0
201998.297.1
202099.095.9
202198.593.8
202296.793.6
202397.396.5
202496.394.0

Housing (rents)

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
200873.273.6
200972.474.7
201074.575.3
201174.677.7
201273.675.6
201375.075.0
201473.374.1
201573.275.1
201672.373.4
201770.673.2
201870.472.3
201970.971.9
202070.372.2
202170.169.8
202269.369.9
202370.568.6
202469.971.2

Utilities

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
200878.485.4
200983.087.6
201087.289.8
201188.787.0
201289.687.0
201387.989.5
201483.187.6
201588.090.5
201685.292.7
201790.096.9
201892.7103.9
201992.899.9
202093.6101.5
202191.6100.7
202283.8103.0
202385.690.8
202479.488.4

Other services

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MissouriKansas
200895.696.7
200996.996.9
201098.097.7
201197.196.2
201296.897.5
201396.696.5
201498.397.5
201595.795.9
201695.695.6
201796.394.8
201896.597.0
201996.597.0
202096.097.1
202195.396.6
202294.992.9
202394.493.0
202495.293.8

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $59,172 in Kansas, $57,850 in Missouri

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
MissouriKansasUnited States
2008$47,118$51,283$45,816
2009$45,179$48,282$44,204
2010$43,946$47,376$44,808
2011$44,799$49,885$45,957
2012$45,817$50,988$46,796
2013$45,192$51,553$46,358
2014$45,700$51,238$47,661
2015$47,620$51,685$49,396
2016$48,744$51,744$49,828
2017$48,930$52,848$51,006
2018$49,929$53,415$52,242
2019$50,660$54,437$53,683
2020$54,269$57,358$56,514
2021$56,869$59,652$59,365
2022$55,467$59,546$57,104
2023$56,912$58,664$58,088
2024$57,850$59,172$59,195

More

Related state comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
  • Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.

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