CostIndexUSA

Pittsburgh, PA vs St. Louis, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostPA
Pittsburgh
94.7
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
MO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

Pittsburgh and St. Louis have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+9.7%
Pittsburgh
72
St. Louis
79
🛒 Groceries0.7%
Pittsburgh
100.7
St. Louis
100
🚗 Transportation+1.0%
Pittsburgh
102.6
St. Louis
103.6
🏥 Healthcare+1.0%
Pittsburgh
92.8
St. Louis
93.7
Utilities35.1%
Pittsburgh
107.7
St. Louis
69.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Pittsburgh to see what you'd need to earn in St. Louis to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in St. Louis, MO
$80,300
$300 more needed in St. Louis

Formula: salary × (95.1 ÷ 94.7) = salary × 1.0042. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Pittsburgh, PA

Median Home Price
$218,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
72
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.5×

St. Louis, MO

Median Home Price
$262,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
79
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.6×

St. Louis has 9.7% higher housing costs compared to Pittsburgh.

Income & Job Market

Pittsburgh, PA

Median Household Income
$72,500
Per Capita Income
$41,300
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
302,971
Top Industries
HealthcareTechnologyFinanceEducationManufacturing

St. Louis, MO

Median Household Income
$78,200
Per Capita Income
$44,600
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
319,294
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceManufacturingTechnologyEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Pittsburgh, PA
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

St. Louis, MO
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.