City comparison
Richmond, VA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 2.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $102,900 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,173 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Richmond, VA to St. Louis, MO ($111,183 → $109,137), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Richmond, VA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,169 in St. Louis | $102,913 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,173/yr.
78 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,173/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Richmond → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $63,288 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $76,573 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $91,779 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $109,137 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $128,967 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $60,650 | $62,417 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $129,030 | $132,789 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $78,880 | $81,178 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $83,180 | $85,603 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.