If you’re considering moving to Kansas City, MO, the good news is that the cost of living is significantly less than the national average, rated at 90 while the national average is 100. This is true almost entirely across the board: Housing, utilities, transportation, and more. Plus, the average household income in Kansas City, MO is higher than the national average, which means you’ll be able to enjoy a higher quality of life than you would in other U.S. cities.
Cost of Housing
The cost of housing in Kansas City, MO is well-below the national average. While the national average is rated 100, Kansas City comes in at 78; practically, the average rent cost in Kansas City, MO is $826, whereas the national average is $949. When you pay less for housing, you not only save money but you can also get much more space for less money.
Average Income
In 2016 the median household income in Kansas City, MO was reported at $61,385, nearly $4000 more than the national average income, $57,617. Which means that not only do you have the possibility to earn more in Kansas, MO, but the cost of living will be even lower, allowing you to enjoy luxuries you might not be able to enjoy in other cities.
Cost of Food
Groceries are the only category in which Kansas City, MO rates higher than the national average, coming in at 101. But that extra 1 point doesn’t make much of a difference when compared to the 22-point difference in the cost of housing.
Cost of Utilities
The cost of utilities is rated 77, but don’t think it’s like that all over Missouri. Count yourself lucky to have a low cost of utilities in Kansas City, because in the rest of state is rated 103. The national average is also a bit higher; whereas a typical monthly utility bill in Kansas City is $154, in the rest of the U.S. it’s $166.
Cost of Healthcare
Healthcare is rated 97 in Kansas City, whereas in the wide state of Missouri it’s 99, both under the national average. While the cost of going to doctors and optometrists is lower than the rest of the U.S., the cost of dentists will be slightly higher in Kansas City.
Cost of Transportation
Both gas and tire balancing is slightly cheaper in Kansas City than in the rest of the U.S., bringing its rating to a 95. So you can drive to work, pay less for gas than the national average, and earn more than the national average.
If you were on the fence about moving to Kansas City, MO, the low cost of living is certainly something to push you closer to a decision!
