Cost of living in St. Louis, MO-IL
2,814,421 people (Census 2025 estimate). Overall prices are 4.9% below the US average, with housing at 79.0 on BEA’s index (US = 100). A single renter on $60,000 keeps $1,267 a month after 2026 taxes and modeled costs.
Typical household budgets in St. Louis, MO-IL
Computed by MoveMath’s engine with 2026 tax law, HUD Fair Market Rent for the bedrooms each household needs, DOL 2020 childcare prices for St. Louis City, MO in current dollars, USDA Moderate-Cost food, one car per adult and $1,000 a month of other spending at US-average prices scaled by local price levels.
| Per month | Single, $60k | Couple + toddler, $110k | Family of four, $80,196 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross income | $5,000 | $9,167 | $6,683 |
| Taxes | $1,005 | $1,635 | $822 |
| Take-home pay | $3,995 | $7,532 | $5,861 |
| Housing | $1,104 | $1,349 | $1,349 |
| Childcare | $0 | $970 | $1,632 |
| Food | $441 | $988 | $1,283 |
| Transportation | $164 | $329 | $329 |
| Sales tax | $27 | $33 | $37 |
| Other goods & services | $993 | $993 | $993 |
| Left over | $1,267 | $2,869 | $238 |
Family of four = two adults, a preschooler and a school-age child at the metro’s median household income ($80,196). Click a column to open it in the budget planner and change any input.
Price levels: St. Louis, MO-IL vs Missouri and the US
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. 100 = US average; bars compare the metro (dark) with Missouri statewide (light).
Within Missouri, St. Louis, MO-IL ranks 1st of 8 metros on overall prices; the state as a whole is at 90.8. The dashed line marks the US average.
Rent and homeownership
| Unit | HUD Fair Market Rent | Income needed at 30% | Share of median income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,064 | $42,560 | 15.9% |
| 1-bedroom | $1,104 | $44,160 | 16.5% |
| 2-bedroom | $1,349 | $53,960 | 20.2% |
| 3-bedroom | $1,731 | $69,240 | 25.9% |
| 4-bedroom | $1,997 | $79,880 | 29.9% |
FY2027 FMRs for St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area: 40th-percentile gross rent (rent + tenant-paid utilities) for standard-quality units. Census median gross rent, all unit sizes: $1,113 (ACS 2020-2024).
Childcare prices in St. Louis City, MO
DOL has no 2022 price for St. Louis City, MO; these are the latest published prices, from 2020, adjusted to current dollars with the BLS CPI change since 2020.
| Age band | Center, weekly (2020) | Center, yearly today* | Home-based, weekly (2020) | Home-based, yearly today* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $219 | $14,752 | $151 | $10,151 |
| Toddler (2) | $173 | $11,645 | $134 | $8,990 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $173 | $11,645 | $134 | $8,990 |
| School-age (5–12) | $118 | $7,943 | $164 | $11,021 |
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2020 county medians for full-time care in St. Louis City, MO (the metro’s principal county). *52 weeks × 1.2945, the BLS CPI change for day care and preschool from the 2020 average to 2026-08.
Taxes: what you keep in St. Louis
| Single filer, 2026 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 |
| Missouri income tax | $1,368 | $2,534 | $4,661 |
| Local income tax (St. Louis) | $500 | $750 | $1,200 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,374 | $4,859 | $7,282 |
| Share of pay to taxes | 19.0% | 22.3% | 27.2% |
Mandatory local income tax for residents of St. Louis. State sales tax: 4.225% (state rate only; local rates add on), groceries 1.225%.
Calculate take-home pay for your household in St. Louis, MO-IL
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05. Renters’ utilities are already inside gross rent.
Nearby metros
| Metro | Distance | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Single $60k left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | — | 95.1 | $1,349 | $1,267 |
| Springfield, IL · compare | 86 mi | 92.7 | $1,237 | $1,414 (+$148) |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL · compare | 99 mi | 86.1 | $1,012 | $1,671 (+$405) |
| Jefferson City, MO · compare | 104 mi | 88.0 | $962 | $1,770 (+$503) |
| Decatur, IL · compare | 110 mi | 88.4 | $1,091 | $1,534 (+$268) |
| Columbia, MO · compare | 114 mi | 89.4 | $1,076 | $1,546 (+$279) |
| Paducah, KY-IL · compare | 139 mi | 86.1 | $1,131 | $1,529 (+$263) |
Common moves to and from St. Louis, MO-IL
Census ACS metro-to-metro migration flows (ACS 5-year 2016-2020), people who moved in a year.
- Chicago, IL-IN4,250
- Columbia, MO3,393
- Dallas, TX3,365
- Chicago, IL-IN5,186
- Kansas City, MO-KS3,211
Frequently asked questions
Is St. Louis, MO-IL expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put overall prices in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro at 95.1 (US = 100) in 2024 — 4.9% below the national average and the 166th highest of 387 metros. Housing is 79.0, goods 100.0.
What salary do you need to live in St. Louis, MO-IL?+
A single renter earning $60,000 keeps $3,995 a month after 2026 taxes and has $1,267 left after rent at HUD Fair Market Rent, food, fuel, sales tax and other modeled costs. Use the cost of living calculator to find the salary that matches your current budget.
How much is rent in St. Louis, MO-IL?+
HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent — the 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities — is $1,104 for a 1-bedroom and $1,349 for a 2-bedroom. The Census median gross rent for all units is $1,113.
Does St. Louis have a local income tax?+
Mandatory local income tax for residents of St. Louis. On $75,000 a single filer would owe about $750 a year in local tax under our 2026 data.