City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 8.7% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $108,700 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,471 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Phoenix, AZ to St. Louis, MO ($111,338 → $109,137), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,036 in St. Louis | $108,653 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,471/yr.
96 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,471/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Phoenix → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $63,288 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $76,573 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $91,779 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $109,137 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $128,967 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $60,650 | $65,898 (+11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $129,030 | $140,195 (+6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $78,880 | $85,706 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $83,180 | $90,378 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.