$90,000 in San Francisco ≈ $74,040 in St. Louis (−17.7% cost of living)
$74,040
Target salary in St. Louis for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices −17.7% vs San Francisco.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to St. Louis is housing & rent, which runs about 59.4% less expensive in St. Louis.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for San Francisco → St. Louis.
| Metric | San Francisco | St. Louis | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 115.6 | 95.1 | −17.7% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 108.5 | 100.0 | −7.8% |
| Housing & rent | 194.7 | 79.0 | −59.4% |
| Everyday services | 106.2 | 98.6 | −7.2% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $74,040 COL target | −$15,960 (−17.7%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$4,293 | ~$3,243 | −$1,050 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $88,950 Tax match | −$1,050 (−1.2%) |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $74,040
- Tax parity target
- $88,950
Gross needed in St. Louis for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in San Francisco, before taxes.
Gross needed in St. Louis to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $85,707 (without accounting for the lower cost of living) .
On $90,000 in San Francisco, you keep about $85,707 after California tax. Matching that take-home under Missouri tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $1,050 less gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $85,707
- CA state tax
- $4,293
- MO state tax on match
- $3,243
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- −$1,050
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $74,040). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | St. Louis | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $93,140
Beats target
| −37.9% |
| Office Clerks, General | $44,980
Beats target
| −13.5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,240
Beats target
| −12.4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $46,200
Beats target
| −25.6% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880
Beats target
| −28.8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650
Beats target
| −40.5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $53,930
Beats target
| −15.2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $64,590
Beats target
| −30.6% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find General and Operations Managers jobs in St. Louis
- General and Operations Managers
- Office Clerks, General
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Accountants and Auditors
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Project Management Specialists
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Software Developers
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Construction Laborers
- Human Resources Specialists
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other
- Carpenters
- Financial Managers
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Medical Assistants
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Lawyers
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Electricians
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Machinists
- Managers, All Other
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Management Analysts
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Bus Drivers, School
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Sales Managers
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Marketing Managers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Cost Estimators
- Civil Engineers
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Dental Assistants
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Pharmacists
- Construction Managers
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Compliance Officers
- Loan Officers
- Firefighters
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Data Scientists
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Industrial Engineers
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Physical Therapists
- Physicians, All Other
- Logisticians
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Coaches and Scouts
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Industrial Production Managers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Dental Hygienists
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Computer Network Architects
- Graphic Designers
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Public Relations Specialists
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Human Resources Managers
- Administrative Services Managers
- Occupational Therapists
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Information Security Analysts
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Medical Records Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Instructional Coordinators
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Physician Assistants
- Food Service Managers
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Facilities Managers
- Chief Executives
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
- Engineers, All Other
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$149,990 in San Francisco → $93,140 in St. Louis (−37.9%)
See current openings for General and Operations Managers in St. Louis.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in St. Louis
| In San Francisco | In St. Louis |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $49,360 |
| $90,000 | $74,040 |
| $150,000 | $123,400 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in St. Louis to match $90,000 in San Francisco?
- About $74,040, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 115.6 and 95.1 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is St. Louis less expensive than San Francisco?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to St. Louis is housing & rent, which runs about 59.4% less expensive in St. Louis. Overall cost of living index is 115.6 in San Francisco vs 95.1 in St. Louis (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from San Francisco to St. Louis?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), General and Operations Managers is among the highest-employment matches: $149,990 in San Francisco vs $93,140 in St. Louis (−37.9%; about 46,410 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from San Francisco to St. Louis?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $74,040 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $88,950, the gross you’d need in St. Louis to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$85,707) you keep after California tax on $90,000 in San Francisco, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this San Francisco → St. Louis move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to St. Louis is housing & rent, which runs about 59.4% less expensive in St. Louis. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.