

Boston vs St. Joseph
$688/mo more in St. Joseph
BostonSt. JosephAbout 1,245 miles apart, a flight.
- St. Joseph leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 220 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,638/mo in St. Joseph. $1,950/mo in Boston. +$8,256 a year.
Boston
$1,950
left each month
St. Joseph
$2,638
+$688 vs Boston
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$688 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Boston | St. Joseph | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $9,042 | $6,750 | −$2,292 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,416 | $1,543 | −$873 |
| Take-home pay | $6,626 | $5,207 | −$1,418 |
| Rent | $2,549 | $754 | −$1,795 |
| Getting around | $445 | $547 | +$102 |
| Groceries | $464 | $350 | −$114 |
| Healthcare | $522 | $394 | −$128 |
| Utilities | $290 | $219 | −$71 |
| Everything else | $406 | $306 | −$100 |
| Left over | $1,950 | $2,638 | +$688 |
Salary to match Boston
$68,500
Gross pay in St. Joseph that leaves the same amount as $108,500 in Boston.
Tax difference
+$2,325
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 26.7% in Boston, 22.9% in St. Joseph.
More about St. Joseph
Boston, MA in full
Great pay in medicine and research, brutal winters, tight housing stock.
St. Joseph, MO in full
State income tax topping out at 4.7%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $898 and 220 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
The other way
Start in St. Joseph.
St. Joseph → Boston →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in St. Joseph than Boston?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, St. Joseph leaves about $688 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,549 in Boston and $754 in St. Joseph.
Does St. Joseph have state income tax?
St. Joseph is in Missouri, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Boston to St. Joseph?
The paycheck is taxed in Missouri. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Boston and St. Joseph changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.