City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 1.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $101,900 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, 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 Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from St. Louis, MO to Tucson, AZ ($109,137 → $108,455), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| St. Louis, MO | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,901 in Tucson | $98,134 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,471/yr.
63 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,471/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Tucson, AZ | Real change, St. Louis → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $62,893 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $76,095 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $91,205 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $108,455 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $128,162 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $47,220 | $46,339 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $123,710 | $121,402 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $76,320 | $74,896 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $94,110 | $92,354 (+11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.