Lexington, KY vs Kansas City, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Kansas City, MO has a modeled overall cost index 3.2% lower than Lexington, KY.

Lexington, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,390 / month
Kansas City, MO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,460 / 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 Lexington, KY and Kansas City, MO 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 Lexington, KY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $157/month in Kansas City, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,110 in Kansas City, MO

Regional cost estimates: Kansas City, MO uses Kansas City, MO-KS Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$157

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.9K

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.

Lexington, KY

Population:323K

Cost Index:

93.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$345K

Kansas City, MO

Population:508K

Cost Index:

90.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$257K

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Lexington, KY

The Bluegrass State

323K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 323K residents.

Kansas City, MO

The Show-Me State

508K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 508K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lexington, KY vs Kansas City, MO

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	Lexington, KY	Kansas City, MO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,446/mo	$2,202/mo	↓ $245less	10.0%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$560/mo	↑ $74.30more	15.3%
Healthcare	$577/mo	$635/mo	↑ $58.33more	10.1%
Other	$1,716/mo	$1,681/mo	↓ $35.02less	2.0%
Groceries	$1,003/mo	$993/mo	↓ $10.45less	1.0%
Transportation	$1,272/mo	$1,272/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↓ 10.0%

Lexington, KY

$2,446

Kansas City, MO

$2,202

Difference

$245

less

All Utilities

↑ 15.3%

Lexington, KY

$486

Kansas City, MO

$560

Difference

$74.30

Healthcare

↑ 10.1%

Lexington, KY

$577

Kansas City, MO

$635

Difference

$58.33

Other

↓ 2.0%

Lexington, KY

$1,716

Kansas City, MO

$1,681

Difference

$35.02

less

Groceries

↓ 1.0%

Lexington, KY

$1,003

Kansas City, MO

$993

Difference

$10.45

less

Transportation

→ 0.0%

Lexington, KY

$1,272

Kansas City, MO

$1,272

Difference

same

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Lexington, KY: Lexington Occupational Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

Kansas City, MO: Kansas City Earnings Tax$1,500/yr (1.0%)

Net difference-$2,250/yr

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$960

To$1,180

↑ $220

1 Bed

From$1,180

To$1,280

↑ $100

2 Bed

From$1,390

To$1,460

↑ $70.00

3 Bed

From$1,900

To$1,900

→ $0

Lexington, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $940–$1,500/mo

Kansas City, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$1,800/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 Lexington, KY

$7,343

Monthly in Kansas City, MO

$157

Difference

Home Values

Lexington

Kansas City

$345K

Median Value

$257K

↑ +5%

YoY Change

↑ +0.6%

↑ +43.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +32.2%

$214K - $711K

Price Range

$80K - $587K

Homes in Kansas City are 25% less expensive than Lexington

Calculate payment - Lexington Calculate payment - Kansas City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $429

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$35.75

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Lexington, KY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kentucky State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Kansas City, MO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Missouri State Tax

Effective: 5.3%

$7.9K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$44.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,755/month

$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Lexington, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Kansas City, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.0%

💡 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Lexington, KY

27/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 2.9% cycling tags

Kansas City, MO: No data yet

Environment

Lexington

Kansas City

41 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

79.2%

Good Air Days

59.3%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

Before moving from Lexington, KY to Kansas City, MO

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Kansas City, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lexington, KY. 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 Lexington to Kansas City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Lexington, KY vs Kansas City, MO

How do the cost estimates for Lexington, KY and Kansas City, MO compare?

Kansas City, MO has a modeled overall cost index 3.2% lower than Lexington, KY. 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 Lexington, KY, the model estimates $148,110 in Kansas City, MO. 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 Lexington, KY and Kansas City, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,390/month in Lexington, KY and $1,460/month in Kansas City, MO. 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 Kentucky and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com