City comparison
Provo, UT vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 3.3% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $103,300 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,534 a year in UT and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Provo, UT to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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
| Provo, UT | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,799 in St. Louis | $103,306 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$229/yr.
79 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$229/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Provo → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,650 | $62,655 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $129,030 | $133,296 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $78,880 | $81,488 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $83,180 | $85,930 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.