Cost of living in St. Louis: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in St. Louis comes in 4.9% under the US average: for 2024, the BEA regional price parity (RPP) of the St. Louis, MO metro area stands at 95.1, compared with 100 for the US, and housing on its own is 79.0.
- Prices in general
- 95.1US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 79.0 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for St. Louis
A regional price parity sets the US average at 100. It compares that with what one place charges for a basket of goods and services that is the same everywhere. St. Louis lies within the metro area known as St. Louis, MO-IL, which BEA prices as one. Utilities sit furthest from the US average: 69.9, which puts them 30.1% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | St. Louis, MO metro | Missouri | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 95.1 | 90.8 | −4.9% |
| Goods | 100.0 | 96.3 | 0% |
| Housing (rents) | 79.0 | 69.9 | −21.0% |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 79.4 | −30.1% |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.2 | −1.4% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parities
Rents in St. Louis
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) covers rent on homes listed now. Typical asking rent in St. Louis comes to $1,292 a month, +3.1% on a year. In the US the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,044, a figure that counts every renting household rather than only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 29% of the median household income.
| Rent | St. Louis | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,292 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,044 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for a year, as a share of median income | 29% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
St. Louis home prices
Homes typical of St. Louis were worth $181,157 in September 2026, per Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), which measures value in the middle of the market. That works out to −0.2% on a year, compared with $366,157 for the US. That is 3.4 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years for the US.
| Home prices | St. Louis | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $181,157 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.2% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +64.0% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.4 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 11.7 | 15.8 |
Charting prices since 2000, with a forecast and how many days homes sit on the market: St. Louis housing market.
How much salary you need to live in St. Louis
Two things decide it: where you live and what you earn. Together they give the salary in St. Louis that matches what your pay buys now.
- Moving away from
- Salary
Every city side by side, plus the method: cost of living by city.
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St. Louis cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Prices in general | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 95.1 | 79.0 | $1,292 | $181,157 |
| Kansas City | 92.5 | 86.6 | $1,446 | $250,185 |
| Springfield, Missouri | 88.6 | 65.6 | $1,192 | $243,597 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels: 2024 data from BEA regional price parities, US = 100. Rent from Zillow ZORI. Home values come from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
See how each city ranks: cost of living compared city by city. All states: cost of living by state.