Aberdeen, SD vs Garden City, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Garden City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% lower than Aberdeen, SD.

Aberdeen, SD · modeled 2BR rent
$930 / month
Garden City, KS · modeled 2BR rent
$1,040 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Aberdeen, SD and Garden City, KS using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $331/month in Garden City, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $146,030 in Garden City, KS

Regional cost estimates: Aberdeen, SD uses Minneapolis, MN. Garden City, KS uses Wichita, KS. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 4.2%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$331
Savings
Annual Impact
$4.0K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Aberdeen, SD

Population:28K
Cost Index:
80.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$228K

Garden City, KS

Population:27K
Cost Index:
76.6
100 = national average
Typical Home:$229K

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Aberdeen, SD

The Mount Rushmore State

28K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in South Dakota, this city has a population of 28K residents.

💡 Advantage: South Dakota has no state income tax!

Garden City, KS

The Sunflower State

27K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 27K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Aberdeen, SD vs Garden City, KS

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↓ 20.9%
Aberdeen, SD
$2,270
Garden City, KS
$1,796
Difference
$474
less
Other
↑ 11.2%
Aberdeen, SD
$1,595
Garden City, KS
$1,774
Difference
$179
more
Healthcare
↓ 15.5%
Aberdeen, SD
$789
Garden City, KS
$667
Difference
$122
less
All Utilities
↑ 15.6%
Aberdeen, SD
$531
Garden City, KS
$613
Difference
$82.73
more
Transportation
↑ 4.8%
Aberdeen, SD
$1,240
Garden City, KS
$1,300
Difference
$59.94
more
Groceries
↓ 5.2%
Aberdeen, SD
$1,075
Garden City, KS
$1,019
Difference
$56.09
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$650
To$790
↑ $140
1 Bed
From$710
To$790
↑ $80.00
2 Bed
From$930
To$1,040
↑ $110
3 Bed
From$1,170
To$1,430
↑ $260
Aberdeen, SDZIP-level data

1BR range: $710–$710/mo

Garden City, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $790–$790/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Aberdeen, SD
$7,169
Monthly in Garden City, KS
$331
Difference

Home Values

Aberdeen
Garden City
$228K
Median Value
$229K
↑ +5.9%
YoY Change
↑ +1.1%
↑ +29.8%
5-Year Change
↑ +27.4%
Calculate payment - AberdeenCalculate payment - Garden City

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $8.4K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$702
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
5.6%
Rate difference

Aberdeen, SD

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
South Dakota State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Garden City, KS

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Kansas State Tax
Effective: 5.6%
$8.4K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.3%
$45.4K
Take-Home Pay
$8,714/month
$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Aberdeen, SD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.4%
Property Tax:1.3%

Garden City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%
Property Tax:1.3%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Aberdeen
Garden City
42 Good
Air Quality
43 Good
66.4%
Good Air Days
75.1%
98 High
Climate Risk
97 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🌪
▲+3.6°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.1°F
14 days
Heat Days >95°F
61 days
▲+3.6°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.1°F
14 days
Heat Days >95°F
61 days

Before moving from Aberdeen, SD to Garden City, KS

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Garden City, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Aberdeen, SD. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Aberdeen to Garden City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Garden City, KS by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Aberdeen, SD vs Garden City, KS

How do the cost estimates for Aberdeen, SD and Garden City, KS compare?

Garden City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% lower than Aberdeen, SD. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Aberdeen, SD, the model estimates $146,030 in Garden City, KS. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Aberdeen, SD and Garden City, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $930/month in Aberdeen, SD and $1,040/month in Garden City, KS. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between South Dakota and Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com

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