City comparison
Denver, CO vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 11.2% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $111,200 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.0% moving from Denver, CO to St. Louis, MO ($118,675 → $109,137), while prices change by −10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,891 in St. Louis | $111,246 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$71/yr.
100 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$71/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Denver → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,288 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,573 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,779 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $109,137 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,967 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $60,650 | $67,471 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $129,030 | $143,541 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $78,880 | $87,751 (−12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $83,180 | $92,535 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.