Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Kansas City?

Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Kansas City?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $41,000 in Kansas City.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Kansas City?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Austin vs Kansas City Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

Kansas City

Missouri

$1,180/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,180 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO — about 26% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$961

+29% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,031

+29% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,211

+32% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,381

+35% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$227,000

+56% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$67,449

+26% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$50,820

+11% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

35.7 yr

+1.2 yr in Kansas City, MO

Homeownership

44.4%

54.6%

+10.2 pp in Kansas City, MO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

37.8%

+20.4 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

21.9 min

+2.1 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

475.9

1,556.3

+227% in Kansas City, MO

Property Crime

3,290.2

4,719.3

+43% in Kansas City, MO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

56.7°F

+10.5°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

39.1 in

+4.2 in in Kansas City, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$4.35/gal

+10% in Kansas City, MO

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

$2.00

+60% in Kansas City, MO

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs RideKC (KCATA) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

13.4

+18% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$15.74

+36% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.14

+1% in Austin, TX

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$1.79

+4% in Kansas City, MO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Kansas City, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$6.97

+6% in Kansas City, MO

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.15

+13% in Kansas City, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.63

+3% in Kansas City, MO

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MO)

6.25%

4.225%

+2.0 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Austin vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Kansas City?: Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Kansas City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Kansas City?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).