To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Seattle, you'd need about $85,200 in St. Louis — a $14,800 saving per year.
Estimated monthly spending for a middle-income household, adjusted by each metro's BEA price level.
The salary you'd need in St. Louis to maintain the same purchasing power as each income level in Seattle, using the BEA price ratio of 0.852.
| Salary in Seattle | Equivalent in St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,600 | −$7,400 |
| $75,000 | $63,900 | −$11,100 |
| $100,000 | $85,200 | −$14,800 |
| $150,000 | $127,800 | −$22,200 |
| $200,000 | $170,400 | −$29,600 |
Moving from Seattle, WA to St. Louis, MO means your everyday costs are cheaper by roughly 14.8%. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures Seattle's overall price level at 113 and St. Louis's at 96.3, where 100 represents the national average. In practical terms, a household spending $5,805 per month in Seattle would spend about $4,899 for the equivalent lifestyle in St. Louis — a swing of $906 every month, or $10,872 per year.
Housing is the decisive factor. Estimated monthly housing runs $2,591 in Seattle against $1,960 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 14.8% gap.
For salary negotiation or a remote-work relocation, the key number is the equivalent salary. A $100,000 income in Seattle has the same purchasing power as $85,200 in St. Louis. Looked at the other way, $100,000 in St. Louis is worth about $117,300 in Seattle terms. Use the Cost of Living Calculator to plug in your own expenses.
Price levels don't include income tax, which can significantly swing your real take-home pay — especially between WA and MO.
St. Louis is 14.8% cheaper than Seattle overall. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2023), Seattle has a price level of 113 versus 96.3 for St. Louis, where 100 equals the national average.
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary in Seattle, you would need about $85,200 in St. Louis — a difference of $14,800 per year.
Estimated monthly housing runs about $2,591 in Seattle versus $1,960 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 (2023, the most recent metro-level release). Seattle maps to the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 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.
