Denver - CO vs Kansas City - MO: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Denver - CO is roughly 71% more expensive than Kansas City - MO in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Denver - CO (30 days vs 11), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Denver - CO sees more listings with price cuts (36.7% vs 31.5%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Denver vs Kansas City: what the numbers say

At today's 7.32% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $3,053 a month in principal and interest in Denver and $1,785 in Kansas City, a gap of $1,267 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,900 in Denver and $1,534 in Kansas City, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.6 times rent in Denver and 1.2 times rent in Kansas City, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 24.4 years of rent in Denver and 17.6 in Kansas City; the lower ratio in Kansas City means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -4.8% in Denver and +6.0% in Kansas City; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in Denver and +1.1% in Kansas City.

Homes sell for 98.9% of list price in Denver and 100.1% in Kansas City, after 30 and 11 days on the market, with price cuts on 37% and 32% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Denver.

The number of homes for sale is down 1% on a year ago in Denver and up 1% on a year ago in Kansas City.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-22), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.