Cost of Living in Wichita, KS
Wichita, KS scores 83 on the cost-of-living index — about 17% cheaper than the US average of 100, and #75 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Wichita vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Wichita to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Wichita, KS, you would need about $225,301 in New York City, NY — roughly 125.3% more.
| Category | Wichita | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 83 | 187 | +125% |
| Housing | 63 | 287 | +356% |
| Groceries | 93 | 137 | +47% |
| Utilities | 91 | 130 | +43% |
| Transportation | 92 | 120 | +30% |
| Healthcare | 95 | 128 | +35% |
Wichita cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 83 | −17% |
| Housing | 63 | −37% |
| Groceries | 93 | −7% |
| Utilities | 91 | −9% |
| Transportation | 92 | −8% |
| Healthcare | 95 | −5% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wichita expensive to live in?
Wichita, KS has a cost-of-living index of 83, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 17% cheaper than a typical US city, and ranks it #75 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 63.
What is the cost-of-living index for Wichita?
The overall index is 83 (US average = 100). By category: housing 63, groceries 93, utilities 91, transportation 92 and healthcare 95. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Wichita?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Wichita to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Wichita cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Wichita?
In Wichita, housing is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 63), while healthcare is the priciest (index 95).