Living in Wichita, KS: How Much Does It Cost?

Is the Cost of Living in Wichita, KS, Affordable?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Living in Wichita

Making a move to Wichita, KS? If yes, you probably have enough questions to fill a few sheets of paper (or your phone’s note app). How’s the weather in Wichita, for example, and what about the craft beer scene? Are the people friendly in Kansas’ largest city? (Hint: Yes, very!) What is Wichita’s cost of living? 

Let’s face it, the more affordable a city, the better! They take this to heart in Wichita, too, with a cost of living that’s affordable in almost every area. If you’re keen on finding out how well we scored overall and on the major indexes, read on! All you need to know about the cost of living in Wichita, KS, awaits!

NOTE: We use a scale based on 100, which is the national average. So, for example, 80/100 is lower than the national average, and 120/100 is higher. Also, when you arrive, there are plenty of storage units in Wichita to store your things if needed.

The Overall Cost of Living in Wichita, KS

You’ll be glad to know that you’ll spend almost 20% less than in other American cities in Wichita. (Give or take a few bucks.) With a score of 82.1/100, we’re nearly 20 points below the national average, which is affordable in any dictionary. As we’ll see in just a moment, one of the main reasons for our excellent score is housing. More specifically, the cost of housing, and new homes, is considerably less expensive in Wichita. Indeed, only two costs are higher, and not much higher at that. In short, when it comes to the cost of living in Wichita, KS, ‘affordable’ is the major theme!

Groceries in Wichita are Less Expensive

Feeding yourself and your family is one of the essential daily tasks for most people, and the same holds true in Wichita. Thankfully, we’re not higher than the national average, although, at 95/100, we’re not much below it either. Groceries here aren’t sky-high or overpriced, but a great bargain they are not. At the end of the day, though, anything less than the national average is always good.

Healthcare Costs are Slightly More Expensive

Depending on your age, family, and situation, healthcare might be very important to you or slightly less critical. For example, if you’re young, single, and in excellent health, healthcare will be one of your lesser costs each month. If you’re older and retired, it’s another story altogether. That’s especially true if you’ve got the typical health conditions that come with aging. The good news is that Wichita is only slightly higher than the national average regarding healthcare costs. The not-so-good news is that it’s not lower than average, of course. (Every little bit helps.) Still, compared to many cities, the cost of healthcare in Wichita is affordable.

Housing Costs Living in Wichita Are Affordable

If there is one area where Wichita truly shines, it’s housing costs. At 55.9/100, we are lucky to have very affordable housing here. That’s nearly 46 points below the national average, which is genuinely excellent. You’ll be able to purchase a lot more homes here in Wichita than in money other American cities. Also, your monthly bills will be so much lower because your mortgage will be much lower. Truth be told, our overall score is so low because housing here is so low. (Everything else is more or less average except for transportation. More on that down below.) That being said, all other costs being equal, buying a big home for your family is actually doable in Wichita. The cost of living in Wichita is favorable to those who want to raise a family!

Living in Wichita, Utilities Are More Expensive

Another significant cost for the average homeowner is utilities, including electric, gas, water, garbage, etc. While those costs aren’t ridiculous in Wichita, they are slightly above average at 103.5/100. However, at less than four points above average, we don’t pay a ridiculously higher amount for utilities. Plus, the winters here in Wichita are quite mild, usually, which keeps utility costs lower.

Living in Wichita

Wichita’s Transportation Costs Are Affordable

At 80.4, You’ll be glad to know that the transportation costs in Wichita are very affordable. If you commute to work, that’s great news, obviously, but it’s also good news for the average driver. Another bit of good news is that our one-way commute time is just over 18 minutes compared to a national average of 26.4 minutes. Not only will you spend less money to get to work but time too, which is always a good thing.

Other Costs Living in Wichita Are Affordable

Everybody has miscellaneous expenses no matter where they live. Internet charges, phone bills, going to restaurants and salons, etc. All of these miscellaneous costs can add up, it’s true. In Wichita, though, they add up just slightly slower than the rest of the country. Our score of 97.3/100 for miscellaneous costs isn’t front-page news but, as we always say, every little bit helps.

Home Prices in Wichita are Very Affordable

When you compare the median home cost in Wichita of $129,300 to the national average of $231,200, you immediately see a huge difference. You’ll pay over $100,000 less for the average home in Wichita than other American cities, which is fantastic! As we mentioned above, it’s one reason why our overall cost of living is so affordable. It’s also another great reason to live in lovely Wichita, Kansas.

Now that you’ve seen all of the numbers for Wichita Costa living, what do you think? We hope you agree that our city is not only lovely and inviting but also affordable. We’re iStorage, the Wichita storage unit experts. If you need a safe, clean and affordable Wichita storage unit when you arrive, we have you covered! Have questions? You can chat with one of our friendly managers online anytime! Until then, we wish you the very best of luck in your new Wichita home! We hope you love living here as much as we do!