City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 1.2% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $101,200 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL 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 Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Tallahassee, FL ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| St. Louis, MO | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,771 in Tallahassee | $101,245 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
73 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, St. Louis → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $55,020 | $55,705 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $121,800 | $123,316 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $61,840 | $62,610 (−20.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $79,430 | $80,419 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.