<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   07/25/03  TT    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-09-08</periodOfReport>
   <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000054473</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>kcli</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251020</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIXBY WALTER E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE CO</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3520 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>1</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
      </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
 <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $1.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-08</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>540</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>45.93</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>372855</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>As a co-trustee of the Walter E Bixby Descendants Trust with Angeline I O'Connor and R Philip Bixby</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $1.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-09</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>540</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>45.93</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>373395</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>As a co-trustee of the Walter E Bixby Descendants Trust with Angeline I O'Connor and R Philip Bixby</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $1.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-10</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>540</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>45.54</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>373935</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>As a co-trustee of the Walter E Bixby Descendants Trust with Angeline I O'Connor and R Philip Bixby</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $1.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-11</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>540</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>43.734</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>374475</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>As a co-trustee of the Walter E Bixby Descendants Trust with Angeline I O'Connor and R Philip Bixby</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $1.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-12</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>540</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>43.71</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>375015</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>As a co-trustee of the Walter E Bixby Descendants Trust with Angeline I O'Connor and R Philip Bixby</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
 </nonDerivativeTable>
   <remarks>Walter E.  Bixby, signed by Wm. A. Schalekamp as Power of Attorney</remarks>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Walter E. Bixby</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-09-15</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

