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Cost of Living · Kansas

Wichita Cost of Living

Wichita, Kansas costs approximately 14.0% below the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

0.86×
cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)
Wichita ranks 1 of 1 cities in Kansas by cost of living.
Cities MORE expensive than Wichita (97)
San Francisco, CA
+68.6% more expensive
Oakland, CA
+57.0% more expensive
New York City, NY
+53.5% more expensive
Honolulu, HI
+51.2% more expensive
Irvine, CA
+51.2% more expensive
Los Angeles, CA
+41.9% more expensive
Boston, MA
+41.9% more expensive
San Diego, CA
+40.7% more expensive
Yonkers, NY
+39.5% more expensive
Anchorage, AK
+39.5% more expensive
Seattle, WA
+37.2% more expensive
Long Beach, CA
+37.2% more expensive
Anaheim, CA
+37.2% more expensive
Scottsdale, AZ
+37.2% more expensive
Chula Vista, CA
+33.7% more expensive
Miami, FL
+30.2% more expensive
Portland, OR
+27.9% more expensive
Newark, NJ
+27.9% more expensive
Sacramento, CA
+27.9% more expensive
Riverside, CA
+27.9% more expensive
Denver, CO
+25.6% more expensive
Chicago, IL
+22.1% more expensive
Austin, TX
+22.1% more expensive
Baltimore, MD
+22.1% more expensive
Stockton, CA
+22.1% more expensive
Aurora, CO
+22.1% more expensive
Hialeah, FL
+22.1% more expensive
Frisco, TX
+22.1% more expensive
Las Vegas, NV
+20.9% more expensive
Minneapolis, MN
+20.9% more expensive
Plano, TX
+20.9% more expensive
Chandler, AZ
+20.9% more expensive
Phoenix, AZ
+18.6% more expensive
Philadelphia, PA
+18.6% more expensive
Atlanta, GA
+18.6% more expensive
Tampa, FL
+18.6% more expensive
Henderson, NV
+18.6% more expensive
Reno, NV
+18.6% more expensive
Gilbert, AZ
+18.6% more expensive
Charleston, SC
+18.6% more expensive
Salt Lake City, UT
+18.6% more expensive
Orlando, FL
+17.4% more expensive
Wilmington, DE
+16.3% more expensive
Raleigh, NC
+16.3% more expensive
Virginia Beach, VA
+16.3% more expensive
St. Paul, MN
+16.3% more expensive
Chesapeake, VA
+16.3% more expensive
North Las Vegas, NV
+16.3% more expensive
Boise, ID
+16.3% more expensive
Fresno, CA
+16.3% more expensive
Worcester, MA
+16.3% more expensive
Dallas, TX
+15.1% more expensive
Nashville, TN
+15.1% more expensive
Colorado Springs, CO
+15.1% more expensive
Bakersfield, CA
+15.1% more expensive
St. Petersburg, FL
+15.1% more expensive
Madison, WI
+15.1% more expensive
Norfolk, VA
+14.0% more expensive
Jacksonville, FL
+12.8% more expensive
Charlotte, NC
+12.8% more expensive
Mesa, AZ
+12.8% more expensive
Houston, TX
+11.6% more expensive
Fort Worth, TX
+11.6% more expensive
Tucson, AZ
+11.6% more expensive
Glendale, AZ
+11.6% more expensive
Garland, TX
+11.6% more expensive
Spokane, WA
+11.6% more expensive
Pittsburgh, PA
+10.5% more expensive
Arlington, TX
+10.5% more expensive
Tallahassee, FL
+10.5% more expensive
Milwaukee, WI
+9.3% more expensive
Albuquerque, NM
+9.3% more expensive
New Orleans, LA
+9.3% more expensive
San Antonio, TX
+8.1% more expensive
Grand Rapids, MI
+8.1% more expensive
Columbus, OH
+7.0% more expensive
Detroit, MI
+7.0% more expensive
Cincinnati, OH
+7.0% more expensive
Kansas City, MO
+7.0% more expensive
Lexington, KY
+7.0% more expensive
Corpus Christi, TX
+7.0% more expensive
Buffalo, NY
+7.0% more expensive
Greensboro, NC
+7.0% more expensive
Knoxville, TN
+7.0% more expensive
El Paso, TX
+5.8% more expensive
Cleveland, OH
+5.8% more expensive
St. Louis, MO
+5.8% more expensive
Winston-Salem, NC
+5.8% more expensive
Indianapolis, IN
+4.7% more expensive
Louisville, KY
+4.7% more expensive
Omaha, NE
+4.7% more expensive
Memphis, TN
+3.5% more expensive
Oklahoma City, OK
+3.5% more expensive
Lincoln, NE
+3.5% more expensive
Birmingham, AL
+2.3% more expensive
Toledo, OH
+2.3% more expensive
Lubbock, TX
+2.3% more expensive

What living in Wichita costs

At 0.86x national costs, Wichita is more expensive than 0 and cheaper than 97 of the 99 other metros here. In practical terms that is $800 a month for a one-bedroom and roughly $220,000 to buy.

The price-to-rent ratio here is roughly 23, which is high. Above about 20, renting and investing the down payment usually beats buying over a normal holding period — the purchase price is steep relative to what the same property earns as a rental.

Working and living here

Wichita is a metro of roughly 0.7M and roughly flat, running on aerospace manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture. Larger employers include Textron Aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, Koch Industries.

Kansas taxes income at the state level, and Wichita adds no separate city tax. Cost-of-living indexes exclude income tax entirely, so compare after-tax figures rather than index ratios when weighing this metro against one in a no-income-tax state.

Getting around: Wichita is effectively car-dependent. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: Continental plains climate with cold winters near 20°F lows and hot summers with July highs near 92°F, frequent severe thunderstorms and tornado risk.

Known as the 'Air Capital of the World' for its concentration of aircraft manufacturers (Textron, Spirit AeroSystems), with some of the lowest housing costs in this dataset.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wichita expensive to live in?▾
Relative to the US average, no — the cost index is 0.86x, above 0 and below 97 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $800 a month and the median home $220,000.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Wichita?▾
A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $800 a month implies about $32,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.