Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
St. Louis, MO-IL
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | St. Louis (Monthly) | Boston-Cambridge-Newton (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,104 | $2,518 | +$1,414 | +128.1% |
| Food & Groceries | $373 | $418 | +$45 | +12.1% |
| Transportation | $1,018 | $1,080 | +$62 | +6.1% |
| Healthcare | $427 | $413 | -$14 | -3.3% |
| Other Necessities | $411 | $832 | +$421 | +102.4% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,124 | $2,133 | +$9 | +0.4% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | St. Louis Median | Boston-Cambridge-Newton Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $93,140 | $133,800 | +$40,660 (+43.7%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $83,180 | $106,180 | +$23,000 (+27.7%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,030 | $166,090 | +$37,060 (+28.7%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $78,880 | $100,150 | +$21,270 (+27.0%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,100 | $135,640 | +$34,540 (+34.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $100,510 | $114,990 | +$14,480 (+14.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $158,780 | $209,780 | +$51,000 (+32.1%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $167,130 | $214,960 | +$47,830 (+28.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $77,170 | $79,910 | +$2,740 (+3.6%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $106,200 | $136,760 | +$30,560 (+28.8%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $99,950 | $117,520 | +$17,570 (+17.6%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,870 | $206,610 | +$82,740 (+66.8%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Relocation FAQs
About $159,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL to Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $159,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 59.0% higher in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH than in St. Louis, MO-IL. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.