Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL to Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
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
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | St. Louis (Monthly) | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,104 | $2,204 | +$1,100 | +99.6% |
| Food & Groceries | $373 | $413 | +$40 | +10.7% |
| Transportation | $1,018 | $1,045 | +$27 | +2.7% |
| Healthcare | $427 | $389 | -$38 | -8.9% |
| Other Necessities | $411 | $753 | +$342 | +83.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,124 | $2,196 | +$72 | +3.4% |
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 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $93,140 | $156,460 | +$63,320 (+68.0%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $83,180 | $102,710 | +$19,530 (+23.5%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,030 | $154,930 | +$25,900 (+20.1%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,100 | $126,830 | +$25,730 (+25.5%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $78,880 | $102,140 | +$23,260 (+29.5%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $100,510 | $127,030 | +$26,520 (+26.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $158,780 | $185,270 | +$26,490 (+16.7%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $167,130 | $195,190 | +$28,060 (+16.8%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $77,170 | $75,930 | -$1,240 (-1.6%) | View Dossier |
| Cybersecurity AnalystTechnology | Technology | $106,420 | $148,950 | +$42,530 (+40.0%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $106,200 | $140,670 | +$34,470 (+32.5%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $99,950 | $108,330 | +$8,380 (+8.4%) | 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Relocation FAQs
About $155,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 158.9 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
St. Louis, MO-IL to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
St. Louis, MO-IL to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL to Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $155,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 158.9 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 55.3% higher in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV than in St. Louis, MO-IL. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.