City comparison
Reno, NV vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 6.2% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $106,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Reno, NV to St. Louis, MO ($106,855 → $109,137), while prices change by −5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Reno, NV | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,133 in St. Louis | $106,232 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
88 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Reno → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $63,288 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $76,573 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $91,779 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $109,137 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $128,967 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $60,650 | $64,430 (+3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $129,030 | $137,071 (+9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $78,880 | $83,796 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $83,180 | $88,364 (−17.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.