City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Vallejo, CA are 14.1% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $114,100 in Vallejo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,705 a month in Vallejo, CA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Vallejo, CA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Vallejo, CA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +21.9% moving from St. Louis, MO to Vallejo, CA ($109,137 → $133,060), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| St. Louis, MO | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,083 in Vallejo | $87,656 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Vallejo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
34 Weak offer
Vallejo, CA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Vallejo, CA | Real change, St. Louis → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $77,161 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $93,358 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $111,896 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $133,060 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $157,236 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $100,790 | $88,348 (+45.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $136,930 | $120,027 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $95,800 | $83,974 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $203,290 | $178,195 (+114.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.