CostIndexUSA

Kansas City, MO vs South Bend, IN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
IN
South Bend
92.9
overall index
$1,375/mo rent

Kansas City and South Bend have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing13.9%
Kansas City
86.6
South Bend
74.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Kansas City
94.1
South Bend
94.2
🚗 Transportation+6.3%
Kansas City
98
South Bend
104.2
🏥 Healthcare+6.3%
Kansas City
88.7
South Bend
94.3
Utilities1.5%
Kansas City
89
South Bend
87.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in South Bend, IN
$80,300
$300 more needed in South Bend

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×

South Bend, IN

Median Home Price
$221,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
74.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

Kansas City has 13.9% lower housing costs compared to South Bend.

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

South Bend, IN

Median Household Income
$65,800
Per Capita Income
$37,500
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
103,453
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingFinanceRetail

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)

South Bend, IN
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% 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.