City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Pittsburgh, PA (94.7) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA goes as far as $100,400 in St. Louis, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $693 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to St. Louis, MO ($110,047 → $109,137), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,440 in St. Louis | $99,561 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$693/yr.
67 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$693/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Pittsburgh → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $63,288 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $76,573 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $91,779 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $109,137 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $128,967 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $60,650 | $60,384 (−21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $129,030 | $128,464 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $78,880 | $78,534 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $83,180 | $82,815 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.