City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 10.2% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $110,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to St. Louis, MO ($116,038 → $109,137), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,714 in St. Louis | $110,237 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
100 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Minneapolis → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $63,288 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $76,573 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $91,779 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $109,137 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $128,967 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $60,650 | $66,859 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $129,030 | $142,239 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $78,880 | $86,955 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $83,180 | $91,695 (−11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.