

St. Louis vs Washington
$251/mo more in Washington
St. LouisWashingtonAbout 692 miles apart, a flight.
- Washington leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,913/mo in Washington. $2,662/mo in St. Louis. +$3,012 a year.
St. Louis
$2,662
left each month
Washington
$2,913
+$251 vs St. Louis
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 241 households moved St. Louis → Washington (avg AGI $82,095). 155 went the other way. The whole move →
+$251 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | St. Louis | Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,583 | $9,694 | +$2,111 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,905 | $2,763 | +$858 |
| Take-home pay | $5,679 | $6,931 | +$1,253 |
| Rent | $1,138 | $1,916 | +$778 |
| Getting around | $545 | $463 | −$82 |
| Groceries | $368 | $452 | +$84 |
| Healthcare | $414 | $508 | +$94 |
| Utilities | $230 | $283 | +$53 |
| Everything else | $322 | $395 | +$73 |
| Left over | $2,662 | $2,913 | +$251 |
Salary to match St. Louis
$111,500
Gross pay in Washington that leaves the same amount as $91,000 in St. Louis.
Tax difference
−$2,787
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.1% in St. Louis, 28.5% in Washington.
More about Washington
St. Louis, MO in full
The lowest home prices of any metro over 2 million people.
Washington, DC in full
Recession-resistant government and consulting pay, humid summers, real transit.
The other way
Start in Washington.
Washington → St. Louis →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Washington than St. Louis?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Washington leaves about $251 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,138 in St. Louis and $1,916 in Washington.
Does Washington have state income tax?
Washington is in District of Columbia, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from St. Louis to Washington?
The paycheck is taxed in District of Columbia. 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 St. Louis and Washington 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.