$90,000 in Memphis ≈ $90,293 in Kansas City (+0.3% cost of living)
$90,293
Target salary in Kansas City for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices +0.3% vs Memphis.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Memphis to Kansas City is housing & rent, which runs about 8.5% more expensive in Kansas City.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for Memphis → Kansas City.
| Metric | Memphis | Kansas City | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 92.2 | 92.5 | +0.3% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 96.2 | 94.1 | −2.2% |
| Housing & rent | 79.8 | 86.6 | +8.5% |
| Everyday services | 95.4 | 93.4 | −2.1% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $90,293 COL target | +$293 (+0.3%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$0 | ~$3,455 | +$3,455 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $93,455 Tax match | +$3,455 (+3.8%) |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $90,293
- Tax parity target
- $93,455
Gross needed in Kansas City for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in Memphis, before taxes.
Gross needed in Kansas City to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $90,000 (without accounting for the higher cost of living) .
On $90,000 in Memphis, you keep about $90,000 after Tennessee tax. Matching that take-home under Missouri tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $3,455 more gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $90,000
- TN state tax
- $0
- MO state tax on match
- $3,455
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- +$3,455
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $90,293). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Kansas City | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $90,490
Beats target
| −11.7% |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040
Beats target
| +1.9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,170
Beats target
| −4.6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $46,810
Beats target
| +1.8% |
| Software Developers | $124,990
Beats target
| −0.5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060
Beats target
| −0.7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040
Beats target
| +4.0% |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,640
Beats target
| +18.2% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find General and Operations Managers jobs in Kansas City
- General and Operations Managers
- Registered Nurses
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Software Developers
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Accountants and Auditors
- Office Clerks, General
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Project Management Specialists
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Human Resources Specialists
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Construction Laborers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Electricians
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Lawyers
- Insurance Sales Agents
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Financial Managers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Carpenters
- Management Analysts
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Medical Assistants
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Managers, All Other
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Compliance Officers
- Training and Development Specialists
- Civil Engineers
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Nurse Practitioners
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Pharmacists
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Bus Drivers, School
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Dental Assistants
- Postal Service Mail Carriers
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Cost Estimators
- Marketing Managers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Construction Managers
- Loan Officers
- Coaches and Scouts
- Industrial Engineers
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Physical Therapists
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Public Relations Specialists
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Information Security Analysts
- Dental Hygienists
- Electrical Engineers
- Graphic Designers
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Computer Network Architects
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Industrial Production Managers
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Logisticians
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Human Resources Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Occupational Therapists
- Machinists
- Administrative Services Managers
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Data Scientists
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Instructional Coordinators
- Medical Records Specialists
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Chief Executives
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Food Service Managers
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
- Facilities Managers
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
- Engineers, All Other
- Physician Assistants
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$102,510 in Memphis → $90,490 in Kansas City (−11.7%)
See current openings for General and Operations Managers in Kansas City.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in Kansas City
| In Memphis | In Kansas City |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $60,195 |
| $90,000 | $90,293 |
| $150,000 | $150,488 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Kansas City to match $90,000 in Memphis?
- About $90,293, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 92.2 and 92.5 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Kansas City more expensive than Memphis?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Memphis to Kansas City is housing & rent, which runs about 8.5% more expensive in Kansas City. Overall cost of living index is 92.2 in Memphis vs 92.5 in Kansas City (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from Memphis to Kansas City?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), General and Operations Managers is among the highest-employment matches: $102,510 in Memphis vs $90,490 in Kansas City (−11.7%; about 31,080 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from Memphis to Kansas City?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $90,293 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $93,455, the gross you’d need in Kansas City to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$90,000) you keep after Tennessee tax on $90,000 in Memphis, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this Memphis → Kansas City move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Memphis to Kansas City is housing & rent, which runs about 8.5% more expensive in Kansas City. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.