Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Kansas City?

Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $41,000 in Kansas City.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Kansas City?

Fort Worth 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).

Fort Worth vs Kansas City Cost of Living 2026

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,380/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 $1,380 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,180 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO — about 12% higher in Fort Worth, 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.

Fort Worth, TX

Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,310

$961

+27% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,191

$1,031

+13% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,393

$1,211

+13% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,721

$1,381

+20% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$277,300

$227,000

+18% in Fort Worth, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$76,602

$67,449

+12% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$50,820

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

35.7 yr

+2.3 yr in Kansas City, MO

Homeownership

56.7%

54.6%

+2.1 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.7%

37.8%

+6.1 pp in Kansas City, MO

Avg Commute

26.9 min

21.9 min

+5.0 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

464.8

1,556.3

+235% in Kansas City, MO

Property Crime

2,734.1

4,719.3

+73% 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

65.7°F

56.7°F

+9.0°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.1 in

39.1 in

+3.0 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)

$2.00

about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

13.4

+18% in Fort Worth, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$15.74

+36% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.14

+1% in Fort Worth, 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

Fort Worth vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Kansas City?: Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Kansas City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Kansas City?: Fort Worth 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).