Overall
95.1
-4.9 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
St. Louis, MO-IL
Cost-of-living indicators for St. Louis, MO-IL, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 41180 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #166 of 387
St. Louis, MO-IL has a cost of living index of 95.1, meaning it's 4.9% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 0.0% less, services 30.1% less, and rents are 21.0% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $105,166 here.
What the Numbers Mean for St. Louis
St. Louis ranks #166 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 95.1, St. Louis, MO-IL is 4.9% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between St. Louis's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus services at 69.9 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $105,166 inside St. Louis, while a household needs roughly $95,088 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 79.0 — 21.0% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, St. Louis's overall index has risen by 4.1 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 100.0 and services at 69.9, meaning everyday spending in St. Louis is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
St. Louis Cost Index at a Glance
St. Louis all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
St. Louis category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
100.0
-0.0 below avg
Services
69.9
-30.1 below avg
Rents
79.0
-21.0 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 95.1 (-4.9 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 100.0 (-0.0 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 69.9 (-30.1 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 79.0 (-21.0 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Services -30.1% (69.9)
Rents -21.0% (79.0)
Overall -4.9% (95.1)
Goods -0.0% (100.0)
Income Adequacy in St. Louis
St. Louis income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 95.1
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$95,088
in St. Louis, MO-IL purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$47,544
$75,000 nationally
$71,316
$125,000 nationally
$118,860
$150,000 nationally
$142,632
$200,000 nationally
$190,176
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 4.1 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 91.0 |
| 2009 | 93.3 |
| 2010 | 97.0 |
| 2011 | 96.3 |
| 2012 | 94.5 |
| 2013 | 95.6 |
| 2014 | 96.9 |
| 2015 | 94.6 |
| 2016 | 94.5 |
| 2017 | 95.7 |
| 2018 | 94.5 |
| 2019 | 95.1 |
| 2020 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 96.3 |
| 2022 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 95.0 |
| 2024 | 95.1 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to St. Louis, MO-IL's index of 95.1.
Other MO Metros
Related Data for St. Louis
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for St. Louis area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for St. Louis metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near St. Louis
School Districts
NCES school data for St. Louis area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for St. Louis area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in St. Louis, MO-IL? ▼
St. Louis, MO-IL has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 95.1, meaning it is 4.9% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 100.0, services at 69.9, and rents at 79.0. It ranks #166 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in St. Louis, MO-IL to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $95,088 in St. Louis, MO-IL. Conversely, $100K earned in St. Louis, MO-IL has the purchasing power of $105,166 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in St. Louis, MO-IL? ▼
Rents in St. Louis, MO-IL are indexed at 79.0, which is 21.0% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is St. Louis, MO-IL getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, St. Louis, MO-IL's overall cost index changed by +4.1 points (from 91.0 to 95.1). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What metros have a similar cost of living to St. Louis, MO-IL? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Bloomington, Pittsfield, El Centro. These areas have RPP values within a few points of St. Louis, MO-IL's 95.1.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
