City comparison
Manhattan, KS is about 50 miles (80 km) from Topeka, KS in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 60 miles, or about 1 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Manhattan, KS to Topeka, KS takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Topeka has a population of 126,431, vs 54,287 in Manhattan — about 2.3× larger by population. By land area, Topeka covers about 62 sq mi vs 20 sq mi for Manhattan.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Manhattan | Topeka | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $977/mo | $926/mo | 5.5% higher in Manhattan |
| Median home value | $242,300 | $124,700 | 94.3% higher in Manhattan |
| Median household income | $55,316 | $54,052 | 2.3% higher in Manhattan |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 88.7 | 89.2 | 0.6% higher in Topeka |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 94.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.3 | 94.3 | ≈ 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 Manhattan, you'd need $96,697 in Topeka to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Topeka, KS is about 3.3% cheaper overall than Manhattan, KS, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 10% higher in Manhattan than in Topeka. If you earn $80,000 in Manhattan, you'd need about $77,358 in Topeka to keep the same standard of living.