City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Columbia | Kansas City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $997/mo | $1,131/mo | 11.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $248,600 | $208,900 | 19.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $60,455 | $65,256 | 7.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 96.3 | 96.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.7 | 91.7 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 96.9 | 96.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 99.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Columbia, you'd need $113,443 in Kansas City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbia, MO is about 11.8% cheaper overall than Kansas City, MO, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 12% lower in Columbia than in Kansas City. If you earn $80,000 in Columbia, you'd need about $90,754 in Kansas City to keep the same standard of living.