City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 6.1% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $106,100 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Tampa, FL ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| St. Louis, MO | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,102 in Tampa | $94,249 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,696/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% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $48,940 |
| 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
50 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Tampa, FL | Real change, St. Louis → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $60,120 | $56,663 (−6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $130,450 | $122,948 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $78,990 | $74,447 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $85,470 | $80,555 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.