Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 25% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$864
+21% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$866
+27% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,109
+21% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,135
+38% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$185,100
+33% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$55,279
+25% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$49,990
+3% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
36.6 yr
+3.0 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
54.8%
45.4%
+9.4 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
40.2%
+7.1 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
26.7 min
22.2 min
+4.5 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
1,372.9
+178% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
2,434.5
5,794.9
+138% in St. Louis, MO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
55.7°F
+9.7°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
40.9 in
+1.3 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in St. Louis, MO

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
13.7
+17% in Arlington, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$24.13
+21% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in St. Louis, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MO)
6.25%
4.225%
+2.0 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.70%
+4.7 pp in MO

Arlington vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or St. Louis?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).