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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Kansas's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Wichita at index 87, where median rent of $1,125/month saves renters $9,240/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Wichita — cost index 87, rent $1,125/mo, income $63,072
Wichita rent up 4% over the past year
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Kansas's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Wichita at index 87, where median rent of $1,125/month saves renters $9,240/year versus the national median.
Wichita rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Wichita has increased from $1,085 to $1,125/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
Wichita earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 25 points below the national baseline, and the $63,072 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $198,074 — $269,296 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 68, while Healthcare trails at 90.
The healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 101 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about -1% below the national median. Wichita leads at 90, followed by Topeka (90) and Overland Park (111). Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
Now zoom in on the cost categories. The 4 cities we track in Kansas paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 98. Median rent: $1,438/month. Household income: $83,761. Kansas is known for plains affordability with steady incomes — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Wichita leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
396,119 residents · Kansas
In plain English: What does daily life actually cost in Wichita? Start with the 21% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. That tracks. On the category level, Housing (index 68) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 90) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $63,072 and homes at $198,074 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
125,475 residents · Kansas
What does daily life actually cost in Topeka? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 68) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 90) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,902 — for better or worse — and homes at $186,856 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
197,089 residents · Kansas
A closer look at Overland Park: the cost index of 108 breaks down to a Utilities index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 120 (weakest). Median rent is $1,666/month — 12% below the national median — while household income sits at $103,838, meaning locals spend about 19% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
147,461 residents · Kansas
Here's Olathe by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,792/month. Income: $112,232/year. Home price: $425,657. Population: 147,461. The strongest category is Utilities at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 120. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,236 per year vs. the national median. Over thirty years of homeownership, the property tax savings alone are staggering.
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Kansas. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Wichita ranks #1 in Kansas for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $63,072.
Wichita, KS has the lowest healthcare index at 90, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Wichita (ranked #1) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,125/mo, while Olathe (ranked #4) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,792/mo — a 21-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Wichita is $1,125/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $770 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Wichita is $198,074, which is 3.1× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Kansas has a 5.7% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.7%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.28%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.