Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Kansas City, MO
Cooks, Restaurant in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area earn a median $37,370 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,388 take-home, or $2,616 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Kansas City, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,304
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,317
- Medicare (1.45%)$542
- Missouri income tax$819
- Take-home pay$31,388
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in Kansas City, MO? City residents also pay Kansas City, MO’s Earnings Tax — about $374 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $31,014 ($2,585 a month). Choose “Kansas City, MO” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Kansas City, MO-KS metro spans Missouri, Kansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Kansas City, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,560 | $14.69 | $26,236 | $2,186 |
| 25th percentile | $35,250 | $16.95 | $29,784 | $2,482 |
| Median (50th) | $37,370 | $17.97 | $31,388 | $2,616 |
| 75th percentile | $41,690 | $20.04 | $34,656 | $2,888 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,550 | $22.38 | $38,332 | $3,194 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,370 buys in Kansas City, MO
Prices in Kansas City, MO are 7.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,388 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,917 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in Kansas City, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.00).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Kansas City, MO ranks #17 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $37,370 | $31,388 | $33,917 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- St. Louis, MO — $37,690
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Kansas City, MO?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area is $37,370 a year, or about $17.97 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,250 and $41,690.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Kansas City, MO?
On the median $37,370 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $31,388 a year ($2,616 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $819 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is Kansas City, MO a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,917 would in a typical U.S. city. Kansas City, MO ranks #17 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Kansas City, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Kansas City, MO is $1,193 a month ($1,355 for two bedrooms) — 46% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Kansas City, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $39,210
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,080
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,080
- Dishwasher — $34,800
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,230
- Bartender — $30,300
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,170
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,560
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,280