Cost of Living
per year
per month
How Wichita's prices compare to the US city average across major spending categories.
How far does your salary go in Wichita?
Your $100,000 in Wichita has the same purchasing power as $121,803 in the average US city. You'd need $21,803 less here to maintain that standard of living.
Demographics and workforce data from the US Census ACS 5-Year.
bachelor's or higher
Climate, safety, and walkability indicators.
See a side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, housing, and salaries.
Popular comparisons
Sorted by affordability — most affordable first.
Within 10 points of Wichita's cost index of 82, sorted by closest match.
Wondering whether you should move to Wichita? It depends on what you're optimizing for, but the city has real arguments in its favor: your dollar carries more weight here and walkable in a way most us cities aren't, plus 2 more things worth knowing. The data behind each is below.
Wichita sits at 82 on the composite cost-of-living index — about 18% under the national average. Not the cheapest place in the country, but enough of a discount to notice on rent and groceries every month. Median rent in town runs about $915/mo against a typical household income of $60,712, which is the kind of ratio that leaves room to save.
Wichita earns a Walk Score of 74/100 — above the US median, with denser neighborhoods scoring higher than the citywide aggregate suggests. A car is still useful for longer trips, but everyday life works on foot for a lot of residents.
Wichita's Bike Score is 74/100 — the kind of number you only get when a city has built real bike infrastructure (protected lanes, connected routes, drivers who expect cyclists). For commuting or just for getting around, the bike is a serious option here, not a hobby.
The average one-way commute in Wichita is about 19 minutes — short by US standards (the national average is closer to 27). Over a year of working days, that's hundreds of hours that don't get spent in traffic, which is the kind of thing you notice in the weekend rather than the weekday.
Reasons are pulled from Wichita's actual data — Census ACS, BLS, BEA, NOAA, EPA AQS, FBI, and Walk Score. We don't list positives that aren't supported by the numbers, which is why different cities show different sections.
Yes — and a lot of it. With winter averages near 25°F, Wichita sees real accumulation most years. Salt for the steps, tires that handle ice, and a sense of humor about February are the usual costs of admission.
Cold enough to plan around. Winter in Wichita averages roughly 25°F, with stretches where daytime highs don't break freezing for weeks. Decent insulation, a real coat, and a car that starts in cold weather are non-negotiable.
Genuinely hot. Summer in Wichita averages about 91°F, and peak afternoons run well over a hundred. Outdoor plans move to mornings and evenings; AC is the most-used appliance in the house.
Wichita falls in roughly USDA Zone 7. The zone classification is based on average annual minimum temperatures, so it's the right lookup for whether perennials and trees will overwinter here. Note that this is approximate from our winter-temperature data — check the USDA map for the exact zone before betting an expensive plant on it.
Wichita is at about 1,306 feet (398 m) above sea level. High enough to be solidly above any coastal concern, low enough that altitude isn't a factor.
Higher than average. Wichita reports about 5,384 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the US average of around 3,500. Citywide numbers are often dragged up by a few hotspots; specific neighborhoods can be very safe in cities that don't look great on paper, and vice versa.
No — your dollar actually goes further here. Wichita's composite cost-of-living index is 82, roughly 18% under the US average. Housing is usually the biggest driver of the discount.
Yes — Wichita is one of the more walkable US cities. A Walk Score of 74/100 means most daily errands can be done on foot in most neighborhoods. Transit Score is 46 out of 100. Many residents go car-free comfortably.
Roughly $57,470 a year would match the lifestyle of someone earning $70,000 in an average US city. That's a starting point, not a target — negotiate higher when you can. Median rent in Wichita runs about $915/mo — keeping housing under 30% of gross income points to a similar floor on what you'd want to earn.