Is the Cost of Living in Kansas City Affordable? Yes! Here’s Why.

Read on to find out all about the cost of living in Kansas City!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Kansas City is one of the best cities in the United States, with a rich cultural heritage. From juicy barbecue to just as juicy jazz, thrilling theme parks, and beautiful summers, KC has it all! If you’re moving here, though, you might be wondering about the cost of living in Kansas City. Is it high, low, or somewhere in the middle?

The thing is, once you’re living here, you’ll still have all the expenses you have anywhere else—utilities, a mortgage, groceries, etc., etc. The question is, will you pay more for those expenses or less? If that’s the question on your mind today, read on to find the answers!

READING TIP: Don’t forget that 100 is the national average. So, if you see a score of 80/100, that expense is 20% less than the national average. A score of 120/100 would mean that expense is 20% more than the average. Got it? Good!

The Cost of Living in Kansas City is Affordable

Ready for some great news? Kansas City, MO, is an affordable place to live. With a score of 86/100, we’re almost 15% less than the national average. That means 15% more of your hard-earned money will stay in your pocket every month! Out of the seven significant indexes, only utilities and miscellaneous costs are above the national average. The rest, especially housing, are less, which should make your wallet or purse very happy!

Housing Costs in Kansas City is Affordable

The main reason Kansas City is so affordable is attributable to one thing; housing prices. The median home cost is just over $146,000, which is incredibly low compared to the rest of the United States. The median rent here is similar (although not as inexpensive). It’s $941 compared to the national average of $1062. Not a huge difference, but, as they say, every little bit helps!

It begs to repeat. However, that housing here is phenomenally affordable. Compared to most cities, our housing prices are dirt cheap! One thing is sure when you live in Kansas City, your mortgage will be much easier to afford every month!

Utilities Living in KCMO Can Get Expensive

One thing about Kansas City you need to know is that it gets cold here for almost half the year. That means you’ll be turning on the heat often, which can increase your bill substantially. One bit of good news, though, is that KC’s utility costs aren’t insanely high. They’re just slightly above the national average at 101/100. By the way, many folks here rent a Kansas City storage unit just because of the cold. That way, they can store winter gear and sports equipment safely and securely. (Snowmobiles, for example, snow blowers and other winter tools.)

Storage Units in Kansas City are Affordable

At iStorage, we rent clean, safe storage units in Kansas City, perfect for all sorts of storage needs. From furniture to winter tools, boats, snowblowers, and much more, if you need extra storage space, we have it! If you have questions about self-storage in Kansas City, we have answers, too. To get them, simply start a chat online with one of our friendly, knowledgeable managers. Or come on down and get a personal tour of the iStorage facility nearest you!

Where to store your items in KCMO:

Cost of Groceries Living in KCMO is Average

Unless you eat like a bird, grocery costs eat up (pun intended) a lot of your budget every month. Here in Kansas City, the good news is that you’ll spend about 3% less than the national average. It’s not enough to celebrate in the streets, but it’s better than nothing.

Compared to, for example, Alaska or Hawaii, our grocery costs are a dream. There you’ll pay almost 40% more than the national average if you live in those two cities! We’re even lower than Stamford, CT, and Alexandria, VA. (And don’t even get us started on the grocery costs in San Diego or NYC! They’re ridiculous!)

Transportation Costs in KCMO are Affordable

Another expense that can put a big dent in your monthly budget is transportation costs. That’s especially true if you’re still traveling to an office or other location every day. Filling your gas tank, paying tolls, car repairs, and more can get expensive quite quickly.

However, in Kansas City, MO, you’ll pay 11% less than the national average for these costs. That’s good news for the hundreds of thousands of commuters who live here. Even our commuting time is shorter. The national average is almost 27 minutes, while KC is only 21! In effect, you’ll save both money and time when you live in Kansas City, MO!

Healthcare Living in Kansas City is Affordable

One expense that almost all people have, at least occasionally, is healthcare. Going to the doctor, the dentist or the chiropractor isn’t cheap by any means. The good news, though, is that you’ll spend about 5% less on your care in KC. Sure, that’s not a huge difference, but it does add up if you need regular help with your health.

Miscellaneous Costs in KCMO are Expensive

Miscellaneous expenses can be tricky. It depends on where you go and what you purchase, of course. For example, Great Clips give cheap haircuts pretty much anywhere you live. A fancy salon? Not so much. (Some salons are so overpriced!)

Entertainment, clothing, computers, and phones all fall into this “miscellaneous” category. (Just FYI.) Bank fees do too, and all of these will cost you about 2% more here in the City of Fountains. That’s not a deal-breaker by any means, although it could be better.

So what do you think of the outlook for expenses in Kansas City? We hope you see a city full of opportunities that’s more affordable than most of this size and stature. (We sure do!) Until then, we wish you all the joy and happiness you can handle here in the Heart of America!

Find out more about living in Kansas City, MO: