Moving to District of Columbia from Missouri

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Missouri to District of Columbia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Missouri to District of Columbia, you would find that District of Columbia is 55.3% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $116,000 in District of Columbia to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Missouri and District of Columbia.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → $116,000

To maintain the same standard of living in District of Columbia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 29.8% more

Groceries

pay 31.0% more

Transportation

pay 11.2% more

Housing

pay 96.6% more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 77.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in District of Columbia compared to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
DC
1126
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
DC
4216

Missouri performs better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
DC
3.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
DC
25.3%

District of Columbia performs significantly better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
DC
$724,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
DC
$1,900

Missouri performs better than District of Columbia across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
DC
90.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
DC
30 min

Missouri generally does better on infrastructure, though District of Columbia leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
DC
6.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
DC
$209,167

Missouri generally does better on employment & economy, though District of Columbia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
DC
78.0 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
DC
44%

District of Columbia performs significantly better than Missouri across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kansas City Rain: 39.1 in/yr (992 mm)
66° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kansas City Washington
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/57°F (24°/14°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Kansas City Washington
Jan 40°/22°F (4.2°/-5.3°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.0°/-3.2°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 56°/36°F (13.4°/2.1°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 67°/47°F (19.3°/8.1°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 76°/57°F (24.4°/13.9°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 85°/67°F (29.4°/19.3°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 90°/72°F (32.3°/22.2°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 89°/70°F (31.4°/21.2°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.7°/15.8°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 68°/49°F (19.9°/9.4°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.3°/2.6°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 42°/26°F (5.4°/-3.6°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in District of Columbia than Missouri?

On average District of Columbia is around 55% pricier than Missouri, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to District of Columbia?

Budget about $29,000 for 3 months in District of Columbia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is District of Columbia safe?

Missouri performs better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in District of Columbia compared to Missouri?

District of Columbia performs significantly better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in District of Columbia compared to Missouri?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 66°F in Kansas City. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kansas City gets 39.1 in.

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