San Francisco vs St. Louis Cost of Living Comparison — Salary, Rent & Expenses
To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in San Francisco, you'd need about $82,300 in St. Louis — a $17,700 saving per year.
Monthly Cost Breakdown
Estimated monthly spending for a middle-income household, adjusted by each metro's BEA price level.
Equivalent Salary: San Francisco → St. Louis
The salary you'd need in St. Louis to maintain the same purchasing power as each income level in San Francisco, using the BEA price ratio of 0.823.
| Salary in San Francisco | Equivalent in St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $41,100 | −$8,900 |
| $75,000 | $61,700 | −$13,300 |
| $100,000 | $82,300 | −$17,700 |
| $150,000 | $123,400 | −$26,600 |
| $200,000 | $164,500 | −$35,500 |
San Francisco vs St. Louis: What the Numbers Mean
Moving from San Francisco, CA to St. Louis, MO means your everyday costs are cheaper by roughly 17.7%. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures San Francisco's overall price level at 115.6 and St. Louis's at 95.1, where 100 represents the national average. In practical terms, a household spending $5,947 per month in San Francisco would spend about $4,834 for the equivalent lifestyle in St. Louis — a swing of $1,113 every month, or $13,356 per year.
Housing is the decisive factor. Estimated monthly housing runs $2,690 in San Francisco against $1,915 in St. Louis. Because rent and mortgage costs vary far more between metros than groceries or utilities, the housing line alone accounts for most of the 17.7% gap.
For salary negotiation or a remote-work relocation, the key number is the equivalent salary. A $100,000 income in San Francisco has the same purchasing power as $82,300 in St. Louis. Looked at the other way, $100,000 in St. Louis is worth about $121,600 in San Francisco terms. Use the Cost of Living Calculator to plug in your own expenses.
Cost of living compares prices across places at one point in time. The related question — how prices in one place have changed over time — is answered by inflation. To see what an income or price from an earlier decade is worth in today's money, see what old money is worth today, which converts any amount from 1913 onward using Consumer Price Index data.
Don't forget state taxes
Price levels don't include income tax, which can significantly swing your real take-home pay — especially between CA and MO.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Louis more expensive than San Francisco?
St. Louis is 17.7% cheaper than San Francisco overall. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024), San Francisco has a price level of 115.6 versus 95.1 for St. Louis, where 100 equals the national average.
What salary do I need in St. Louis to match $100,000 in San Francisco?
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary in San Francisco, you would need about $82,300 in St. Louis — a difference of $17,700 per year.
Which costs more, housing in San Francisco or St. Louis?
Estimated monthly housing runs about $2,690 in San Francisco versus $1,915 in St. Louis. Housing is the single biggest driver of the cost-of-living gap between the two metros.
Sources & methodology
Price levels use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for metropolitan areas (2024, released February 2026). San Francisco maps to the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA MSA; St. Louis maps to the St. Louis, MO-IL MSA. Category spending baselines come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Category-level figures are modeled estimates and are illustrative; actual costs vary by household. This is a planning tool, not financial advice.