Chicago, IL → St. Louis, MO
You'd keep $275 more a month in St. Louis
+$3,300 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Chicago | St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $7,583 | −$625 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,904 | −$225 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,678 | −$400 |
| Rent | $1,828 | $1,144 | −$684 |
| Getting around | $392 | $545 | +$153 |
| Groceries | $408 | $368 | −$40 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $414 | −$45 |
| Utilities | $255 | $230 | −$25 |
| Everything else | $357 | $322 | −$35 |
| Left over | $2,380 | $2,655 | +$275 |
To break even in St. Louis, you'd need to earn
$86,000
Household gross, versus $98,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Chicago does now.
The tax difference alone
+$478
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.9% in Chicago, 25.1% in St. Louis.
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
St. Louis, MO in full
The lowest home prices of any metro over 2 million people.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from St. Louis on St. Louis wages.
St. Louis → Chicago →Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.