Kansas City, Missouri
Living in Kansas City, Missouri is about 15% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 85 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,534 a month, 21% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.67 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 45% of the area's $67,178 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.67
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,534
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$10.62
Combo meal
Electricity
16.02¢
per kWh · ~$144/mo
Car Insurance
$165/mo
$1,980/yr
Median Household Income
$67,178
44.9% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,980 in Kansas City. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Kansas City residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,534/mo in Kansas City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.39 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.89 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.29 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$4.81 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$2.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$4.61 estimate
$3.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.17 estimate
$3.79 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.66 estimate
$4.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$5.95 estimate
$5.00 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.24 estimate
$4.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.39 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.89 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$5.29 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.50 | $4.81 | +37.4% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$2.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.19 | $4.61 | +10.0% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.01 | $7.17 | +43.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$4.49 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.99 | $4.66 | +16.8% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.38 | $5.95 | +35.8% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Dillons - Leavenworth Dillons (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.77 | $8.24 | +42.8% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$10.62
Casual Dining
$19.16
Monthly Spend
$343.69
+5.22% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.58
$10.62
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $7.43
$11.47
+54.4%Chipotle
2022: $7.96
$11.89
+49.4%Starbucks
2022: $3.64
$5.05
+38.7%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Kansas City?
Average 1BR: $1,258/mo · 2BR: $1,810/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
376k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,377
$72k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$67k
household median
Employment by Sector — Kansas City
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$63k/yr
~$99k/yr
~$53k/yr
~$41k/yr
~$80k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 29095
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,110/wk · $110k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$782/wk · $41k/yr
Kansas City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Kansas City, MO expensive to live in?
Kansas City has a cost of living index of 85, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 15% cheaper than average. It is the 3rd most affordable of the 8 Missouri cities we track.
What is the average rent in Kansas City, MO?
Typical rent in Kansas City is $1,534 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 21% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,258 and two bedrooms about $1,810. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Kansas City?
Rent in Kansas City rose 3.9% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Kansas City?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.67 a gallon in Kansas City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Missouri. That is 8% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Kansas City?
Homes in Missouri pay an average of 16.0 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Kansas City is about $144.
How much is car insurance in Kansas City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,980 a year in Missouri, or about $165 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Kansas City?
Median household income in the Kansas City area is $67,178 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $30,163 a year, or 45% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Kansas City compare with the rest of Missouri?
Rent in Kansas City is 23% above the $1,242 average across the 8 Missouri cities we track, and its cost of living index of 85 compares with a state average of 86.
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