Is it cheaper to live in Austin or St. Louis?

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in St. Louis?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or St. Louis?

Austin 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).

Austin vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 40% higher in Austin, 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.

Austin, TX

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$864

+36% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$866

+41% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,109

+38% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,135

+47% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$185,100

+64% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$55,279

+40% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$49,990

+12% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

36.6 yr

+2.1 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

44.4%

45.4%

+1.0 pp in St. Louis, MO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

40.2%

+18.0 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

22.2 min

+1.8 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

1,372.9

+188% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

3,290.7

5,794.9

+76% 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

67.2°F

55.7°F

+11.5°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

40.9 in

+6.0 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)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

13.7

+17% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$24.13

+21% in Austin, 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 Austin, 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

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

Austin vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or St. Louis?: Austin 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).