Evansville, IN vs Topeka, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Topeka, KS has a modeled overall cost index 3.0% lower than Evansville, IN.

Evansville, IN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,130 / month
Topeka, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,090 / 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 Evansville, IN and Topeka, 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

Current salary in Evansville, IN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $414/month in Topeka, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,031 in Topeka, KS

Regional cost estimates: Evansville, IN uses Louisville, KY. Topeka, KS uses Kansas City, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$414

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.0K

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.

Evansville, IN

Population:115K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$188K

Topeka, KS

Population:125K

Cost Index:

88.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$151K

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Evansville, IN

The Hoosier State

115K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 115K residents.

Topeka, KS

The Sunflower State

125K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 125K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Evansville, IN vs Topeka, 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.

Category	Evansville, IN	Topeka, KS	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,280/mo	$1,965/mo	↓ $315less	13.8%
Transportation	$1,403/mo	$1,261/mo	↓ $142less	10.1%
All Utilities	$494/mo	$561/mo	↑ $66.86more	13.5%
Healthcare	$600/mo	$636/mo	↑ $36.25more	6.0%
Other	$1,702/mo	$1,667/mo	↓ $34.43less	2.0%
Groceries	$1,021/mo	$995/mo	↓ $26.13less	2.6%

Housing

↓ 13.8%

Evansville, IN

$2,280

Topeka, KS

$1,965

Difference

$315

less

Transportation

↓ 10.1%

Evansville, IN

$1,403

Topeka, KS

$1,261

Difference

$142

less

All Utilities

↑ 13.5%

Evansville, IN

$494

Topeka, KS

$561

Difference

$66.86

Healthcare

↑ 6.0%

Evansville, IN

$600

Topeka, KS

$636

Difference

$36.25

Other

↓ 2.0%

Evansville, IN

$1,702

Topeka, KS

$1,667

Difference

$34.43

less

Groceries

↓ 2.6%

Evansville, IN

$1,021

Topeka, KS

$995

Difference

$26.13

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Evansville, IN: Vanderburgh County Income Tax$1,950/yr (1.3%)

Topeka, KS has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$865

To$820

↓ $45.00

1 Bed

From$875

To$850

↓ $25.00

2 Bed

From$1,130

To$1,090

↓ $40.00

3 Bed

From$1,390

To$1,440

↑ $50.00

Evansville, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $800–$1,020/mo

Topeka, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $680–$1,230/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 Evansville, IN

$7,086

Monthly in Topeka, KS

$414

Difference

Home Values

Evansville

Topeka

$188K

Median Value

$151K

↑ +4%

YoY Change

↓ -1.3%

↑ +37.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +43%

$91K - $255K

Price Range

$63K - $374K

Homes in Topeka are 20% less expensive than Evansville

Calculate payment - Evansville Calculate payment - Topeka

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $3.6K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$298

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.4%

Rate difference

Evansville, IN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Indiana State Tax

Effective: 3.2%

$4.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.9%

$41.9K

Take-Home Pay

$9,012/month

$108.1K

Topeka, 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

Evansville, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Topeka, 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

Evansville

Topeka

50 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

50.8%

Good Air Days

59.3%

98 High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

37 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

37 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

Before moving from Evansville, IN to Topeka, KS

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Topeka, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Evansville, IN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
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.
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.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Evansville to Topeka moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Evansville, IN vs Topeka, KS

How do the cost estimates for Evansville, IN and Topeka, KS compare?

Topeka, KS has a modeled overall cost index 3.0% lower than Evansville, IN. 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 Evansville, IN, the model estimates $145,031 in Topeka, 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 Evansville, IN and Topeka, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,130/month in Evansville, IN and $1,090/month in Topeka, 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 Indiana and Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com