$100k salary, packing up from Seattle
changea dispatch from
kansas city
MO
39.10°N
94.58°W
Kansas City is barbecue (burnt ends are a local invention), jazz (the 18th and Vine district fed Charlie Parker and Count Basie), and fountains everywhere you turn. The city straddles two states and doesn't make a big deal out of it. The Plaza shopping district looks like Seville, which is delightfully odd for the Midwest. Friendly here means genuinely friendly.
the verdict
less monthly outlay than Seattle
The gap is real. Kansas City costs noticeably less than Seattle, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,502/mo
32% cheaper than Seattle(vs $2,193/mo)
4.7%
$392/mo more in state tax than Seattle
vs 0% in Seattle
$6,440/mo
$300 more than Seattle
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$326k
59% cheaper than Seattle
vs $791k in Seattle
2.2M
vs 4.0M in Seattle
field notes, weather & such.
170
pleasant days a year, in kansas city.
Seattle edges ahead with 182 pleasant days. Winter has bite, though: 26 days drop below 20° vs Seattle's 0.
67% fewer events than Seattle. The pace eases up.
56/100
40% lower than Seattle
vs 93/100 in Seattle
Closest outdoor draw: Perry State Park, 48.7 mi.
94/100
4% lower than Seattle
vs 98/100 in Seattle
43
52% fewer than Seattle
vs 90 nonstops in Seattle
if kansas city appeals, also worth a look:
