St. Louis, MO Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In St. Louis, MO Summary

Cost of living in St. Louis research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means St. Louis is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Missouri, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in St. Louis is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in St. Louis is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • St. Louis ranks as the #73 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.

  • St. Louis ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Louis is $179,763.

  • The median income in St. Louis is $55,279.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
St. Louis's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in St. Louis, MO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Louis has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Missouri, St. Louis has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Missouri's index of 88.

The standard of living in St. Louis ranks as #73 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies St. Louis ranks as the #69 most expensive place in the Show Me State.

For more reading on life in St. Louis, check out:

73 out of 142
In Missouri
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

St. Louis Cost Of Living Vs. Missouri

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in St. Louis. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in St. Louis is 90.

  • The Groceries index in St. Louis is 98.

  • The Health index in St. Louis is 87.

  • The Housing index in St. Louis is 82.

  • The Transportation index in St. Louis is 93.

  • The Utilities index in St. Louis is 104.

Living Expense St. Louis Missouri National Average
Overall 91 88 100
Services 90 93 100
Groceries 98 96 100
Health 87 91 100
Housing 82 78 100
Transportation 93 90 100
Utilities 104 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Missouri, check out:
St. Louis Cost of Living Vs. MO

St. Louis, MO Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Missouri, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in St. Louis is $179,763.

  • The Median Rent in St. Louis is $978.

  • The Median Income in St. Louis is $55,279.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Louis is 3.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Louis is 0.21x.

Statistic St. Louis Missouri United States
Median Home Value $179,763 $257,929 $303,400
Median Rent $978 $996 $1,348
Median Income $55,279 $68,920 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.3x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.17x 0.21x
$179,763
Median Home Value
$978
Median Rent
$55,279
Median Income

St. Louis, MO Costs By Category

Detailed St. Louis Services Costs Vs. Missouri

Item St. Louis Missouri
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $11.28 $12.13
Bowling $16.92 $18
Haircut $21.19 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.57 $45.56

Detailed St. Louis Groceries Costs Vs. Missouri

Item St. Louis Missouri
Ground Beef $6.4 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.5 $4.67
Potatoes $5.28 $4.93
Pizza $10.84 $12.09
Beer $9.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed St. Louis Health Costs Vs. Missouri

Item St. Louis Missouri
Optometrist $125.72 $125.68
Doctor $124.51 $135.78
Dentist $100.78 $113.29

Detailed St. Louis Transportation Costs Vs. Missouri

Item St. Louis Missouri
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.0 $59.92

Detailed St. Louis Utilities Costs Vs. Missouri

Item St. Louis Missouri
All Electricity $133.84 $193.99
Phone $188.69 $192.25

St. Louis SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
1
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Louis

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around St. Louis. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • O'Fallon, IL has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x St. Louis.

  • Edwardsville, IL has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x St. Louis.

  • Collinsville, IL has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x St. Louis.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Louis
O'Fallon, IL 32,139 102 1.1x
Edwardsville, IL 26,543 100 1.1x
Collinsville, IL 24,126 89 1.0x
Clayton, MO 17,282 147 1.6x
Fairview Heights, IL 16,255 94 1.0x
Swansea, IL 14,603 93 1.0x
Shiloh, IL 14,109 101 1.1x
Glen Carbon, IL 13,521 102 1.1x
Columbia, IL 11,063 99 1.1x
Maryville, IL 8,280 99 1.1x

Articles About Missouri

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