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Kansas City
#24 of 124
North America

Kansas City

MO, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Kansas City compare to Santiago?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Kansas City is 82% better off vs in Santiago

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Kansas City compared to Santiago, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$103,750
+$70K (+210%) vs Santiago
Based on 159 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$78,736
+$54K (+220%) vs Santiago
Tax Rate: 24%

Community Insights

New

Kansas City presents a compelling value proposition for software engineers who prioritize financial freedom and stability over the high-octane lifestyle of a Tier 1 tech hub. While it lacks the density and startup fervor of San Francisco or New York, it compensates with a high quality of life grounded in affordability. You can buy a home here on a single engineer's salary without stress.

The tech scene is anchored by large, stable corporations rather than a booming startup culture, offering good work-life balance but perhaps less career velocity for those chasing the bleeding edge. The city is culturally rich with deep roots in jazz and BBQ, but it remains a sprawling, car-centric metropolis where your experience is heavily dictated by which neighborhood (or suburb) you choose.

Resident Sentiment

Sentiment among transplants is surprisingly positive, often described as "pleasantly surprised." Many moved for a job or affordability expecting to leave, but stayed for the easy living and community warmth.

However, there is a common grumble about the weather extremes (allergies are also a frequent complaint) and the necessity of driving everywhere. Long-time residents aggressively defend the city's culture but will candidly warn newcomers about specific neighborhoods to avoid due to safety concerns.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Santiago.

Rankings

Home Affordability

Top 4%

#5

of 124 cities

≈2.2 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Tax Rate

Top 19%

#23

of 124 cities

24%

Current value (lower is better)

Purchasing Power

Top 19%

#24

of 124 cities

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Kansas City compared to Santiago?

Avg. Property Price
$2,145 / m²
23% cheaper than Santiago
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Kansas City to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
76% more expensive than Santiago
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Kansas City

Cerner logo
Cerner
Oracle logo
Oracle
Garmin logo
Garmin

The Good

  • Exceptional Housing Affordability: Consistently ranked as one of the best cities for buying a home, with many engineers able to afford large houses with yards.
  • Google Fiber Capital: As the first Google Fiber city, high-speed internet is ubiquitous and reliable, making it ideal for remote work.
  • Manageable Traffic: Commutes are significantly shorter and less stressful than in major coastal tech hubs; "rush hour" is often described as minimal.
  • Stable Tech Jobs: Presence of major employers like Garmin, Oracle (formerly Cerner), and T-Mobile provides a steady, if corporate, job market.
  • World-Class BBQ & Food Scene: The culinary scene punches above its weight, particularly for barbecue, but also for coffee shops and breweries.
  • Midwest Friendliness: Transplants frequently note how welcoming and polite the locals are compared to the "coldness" of larger cities.

The Bad

  • Extreme Car Dependency: Public transit is limited mostly to a downtown streetcar; living here without a car is extremely difficult and limiting.
  • Weather Volatility: Residents complain about the "wild" swings—humid, hot summers, potential for tornadoes, and icy winters.
  • Safety & Crime: There is a stark divide (often cited as the "Troost line"); while suburbs are safe, property and violent crime rates in parts of the city core are high.
  • Limited Startup Ecosystem: The tech scene is dominated by enterprise and legacy companies; there are fewer "cutting-edge" startup opportunities or VC funding compared to Austin or Denver.
  • Suburban Sprawl: The metro area is vast, meaning driving distances between friends, work, and activities can be long.
  • State Politics: For some tech workers, the conservative political climate of Missouri and Kansas can be a cultural friction point.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Remote workers looking to maximize their salary—your dollar goes incredibly far here, and the fiber internet is top-tier.

Families or those planning to start one soon will thrive in the safe, well-regarded suburbs (like Overland Park) where large homes and good schools are accessible.

Burned-out coastal devs seeking a slower pace of life, friendly neighbors, and a commute that doesn't steal hours of their day.

Skip it if...

Hardcore urbanists who dream of a car-free lifestyle; you will feel trapped here.

ambitious career-climbers focused solely on working for the latest "unicorn" startup or maximizing total compensation (TC) to FAANG levels.

Singles looking for a 24/7 nightlife and a massive dating pool of like-minded techies; the social scene is smaller and more settled.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather4.6/10-46% vs Santiago
Safety41+16%
Pollution33-53%
Events0
4.6/10TechCities weather score vs 8.5/10 in Santiago

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
19°C(vs 23°C in Santiago)
Average Low
9°C(vs 8°C in Santiago)
Sunshine Hours
2,810h/yr(same as Santiago)
Hottest Month High
32°C(vs 30°C in Santiago)
Coldest Month Low
-4°C(vs 3°C in Santiago)
Rainy Days
89/yr+57/yr(+178%)

Community & Quality

Kansas City community pulse

Kansas City has 0 Luma events listed.

Santiago has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Pollution Score

Top 20%

#25

of 124 cities

33.3/100

Current value (lower is better)

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#42

of 124 cities

$78,736/yr

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#51

of 124 cities

46/100 weather score

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#61

of 124 cities

51/100

Current value (lower is better)

Community Events

Bottom 27%

#92

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Safety Index

Bottom 19%

#102

of 124 cities

41.4/100

Current value

SWE Affordability
2.2 years
6.9 years quicker than Santiago
Muggy Days
64/yr+64/yr(+Infinity%)
Cloud Cover
41%(vs 30% in Santiago)