CostIndexUSA

Kansas City, MO vs Knoxville, TN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
TN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent

Kansas City and Knoxville have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing4.4%
Kansas City
86.6
Knoxville
82.8
🛒 Groceries+2.2%
Kansas City
94.1
Knoxville
96.2
🚗 Transportation+1.9%
Kansas City
98
Knoxville
99.9
🏥 Healthcare+1.9%
Kansas City
88.7
Knoxville
90.4
Utilities19.2%
Kansas City
89
Knoxville
71.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Knoxville, TN
$80,100
$100 more needed in Knoxville

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.5) = salary × 1.0011. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Kansas City, MO

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

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Kansas City has 4.4% lower housing costs compared to Knoxville.

Income & Job Market

Kansas City, MO

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

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

78% of income left after rent (median)

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% 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.