City comparison
Columbus, OH vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $99,600 in St. Louis, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.7% moving from Columbus, OH to St. Louis, MO ($111,065 → $109,137), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,601 in St. Louis | $100,401 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
70 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Columbus → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $63,288 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $76,573 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $91,779 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $109,137 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $128,967 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,650 | $60,893 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $129,030 | $129,547 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,880 | $79,196 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $83,180 | $83,513 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.