Living Wage 101:
Exploring Cost of Living in the St. Louis Area
When: November 10, 2026
Where: Please complete this Registration link
for the ZOOM invite
Event Details
"Living wage" and "cost of living" are common terms in compensation discussions, but they are often misunderstood or used interchangeably. In this session, experts from the Living Wage Institute will explain the differences between cost of labor and cost of living and discuss how compensation professionals can use living wage data to support workforce planning and pay decisions.
Using examples from the St. Louis market, attendees will explore how living wage data is developed, what it reveals about local economic conditions, and how organizations can leverage these insights when evaluating compensation strategies for hourly and frontline employees.
Whether you are responsible for compensation design, market analysis, workforce planning, or total rewards strategy, this session will provide practical insights and a clearer understanding of how living wage data can complement traditional compensation benchmarks.
Presenters
Misael Galdámez
Data Manager
Emily Abramson
Engagement Manager
What You'll Learn
- The difference between cost of labor and cost of living
- How living wage data is calculated and applied
- What living wage data looks like in the St. Louis market
- Practical ways compensation professionals can incorporate these insights into their work
