CostIndexUSA

Kansas City, MO vs Lexington, KY Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
KY
Lexington
92.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent

Kansas City and Lexington have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing11.0%
Kansas City
86.6
Lexington
77.1
🛒 Groceries+2.2%
Kansas City
94.1
Lexington
96.2
🚗 Transportation+3.8%
Kansas City
98
Lexington
101.7
🏥 Healthcare+3.7%
Kansas City
88.7
Lexington
92
Utilities16.2%
Kansas City
89
Lexington
74.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Lexington, KY
$80,300
$300 more needed in Lexington

Formula: salary × (92.9 ÷ 92.5) = salary × 1.0043. 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×

Lexington, KY

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
77.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Kansas City has 11.0% lower housing costs compared to Lexington.

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

Lexington, KY

Median Household Income
$70,000
Per Capita Income
$39,900
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
322,570
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingAgricultureGovernment

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)

Lexington, KY
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% 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.