City comparison
Seattle, WA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 16.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $116,900 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Seattle, WA to St. Louis, MO ($119,630 → $109,137), while prices change by −14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (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
| Seattle, WA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,562 in St. Louis | $116,874 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Seattle → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $63,288 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $76,573 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $91,779 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $109,137 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $128,967 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $60,650 | $70,884 (−31.1%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $129,030 | $150,802 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $78,880 | $92,190 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $83,180 | $97,216 (−24.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.