CostIndexUSA

Appleton, WI vs Kansas City, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Appleton
92.4
overall index
$1,125/mo rent
MO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Appleton and Kansas City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+22.3%
Appleton
70.8
Kansas City
86.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Appleton
93.8
Kansas City
94.1
🚗 Transportation6.1%
Appleton
104.4
Kansas City
98
🏥 Healthcare6.0%
Appleton
94.4
Kansas City
88.7
Utilities1.8%
Appleton
90.6
Kansas City
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Appleton to see what you'd need to earn in Kansas City to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Kansas City, MO
$80,100
$100 more needed in Kansas City

Formula: salary × (92.5 ÷ 92.4) = salary × 1.0011. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Appleton, WI

Median Home Price
$333,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,125
Housing Index
70.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
24.7×

Kansas City, MO

Median Home Price
$312,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
86.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.9×

Kansas City has 22.3% higher housing costs compared to Appleton.

Income & Job Market

Appleton, WI

Median Household Income
$84,000
Per Capita Income
$47,900
Unemployment Rate
1.8%
Population
77,315
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceRetailEducation

Kansas City, MO

Median Household Income
$79,800
Per Capita Income
$45,500
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
508,394
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareManufacturingLogisticsGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Appleton, WI
6.2×income-to-rent ratio

84% of income left after rent (median)

Kansas City, MO
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.