Cost of Living in Wichita, KS (2026)

Wichita's cost of living is 11% below the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $112,428 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Wichita has a cost-of-living index of 89 against a US average of 100 — about 11% below average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $112,428 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Wichita

MeasureWichitaUS average
Cost-of-living index89100
Median rent$960/mo-
Median home value$179,500-
Median household income$63,072-
Population396,488-

Monthly cost breakdown in Wichita

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$960$1,042
Transport$767$767
Food$603$603
Healthcare$379$379
Other$1,346$1,346
Total$4,055$4,137

Affordability in Wichita

Median rent takes about 18.3% of the median household income in Wichita — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 2.8x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Wichita

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$128,410$144,368
Software Developer$103,920$116,835
Physical Therapist$94,990$106,795
Data Scientist$93,030$104,592
Mechanical Engineer$82,430$92,674
Dental Hygienist$78,206$87,925
Accountant$74,530$83,792
Financial Analyst$74,120$83,331

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Wichita’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Wichita has a cost-of-living index of 89 against a US average of 100, so it is about 11% below the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Wichita has roughly the purchasing power of $112,428 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Wichita's median rent of $960/month that implies about $38,400 a year before tax. The median household in Wichita earns $63,072.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $4,055 a month in Wichita across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $4,137 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Wichita costs $179,500, which is 2.8x the median household income of $63,072. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Wichita is comfortable on that measure.