City comparison
Albany, NY vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 4.7% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $104,700 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Albany, NY than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Albany, NY to St. Louis, MO ($109,810 → $109,137), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,502 in St. Louis | $104,709 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
83 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Albany → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $63,288 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $76,573 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $91,779 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $109,137 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $128,967 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $60,650 | $63,506 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $129,030 | $135,106 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $78,880 | $82,595 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,180 | $87,097 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.