City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 7.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $107,900 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $693 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.9% moving from Philadelphia, PA to St. Louis, MO ($117,284 → $109,137), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,720 in St. Louis | $107,852 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$693/yr.
93 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$693/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Philadelphia → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $63,288 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $76,573 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $91,779 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $109,137 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $128,967 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $60,650 | $65,412 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $129,030 | $139,161 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $78,880 | $85,073 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $83,180 | $89,711 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.