City comparison
Boston, MA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $113,900 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,017 a year higher in Boston, MA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.5% moving from Boston, MA to St. Louis, MO ($120,548 → $109,137), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,828 in St. Louis | $113,859 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,017/yr.
100 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,017/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Boston → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $63,288 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $76,573 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $91,779 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $109,137 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $128,967 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $60,650 | $69,055 (−29.6%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $129,030 | $146,912 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $78,880 | $89,812 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $83,180 | $94,708 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.