Living Cost Compare
Baltimore

Maryland

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $59,623 in Baltimore, MD and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 7% higher in Baltimore, MD. Maryland has a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Baltimore, MD
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,050
$864
+18% in Baltimore, MD
1 Bedroom
$1,073
$866
+19% in Baltimore, MD
2 Bedroom
$1,353
$1,109
+18% in Baltimore, MD
3 Bedroom
$1,555
$1,135
+27% in Baltimore, MD

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$219,300
$185,100
+16% in Baltimore, MD

Income

Median Household Income
$59,623
$55,279
+7% in Baltimore, MD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,070
$49,990
+15% in Baltimore, MD

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
36.6 yr
+0.5 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
47.5%
45.4%
+2.1 pp in Baltimore, MD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.4%
40.2%
+4.8 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
29.4 min
22.2 min
+7.2 min in Baltimore, MD

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,616.7
1,372.9
+15% in Baltimore, MD
Property Crime
4,202.6
5,794.9
+38% 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
61.4°F
55.7°F
+5.7°F in Baltimore, MD
Annual Precipitation
42.4 in
40.9 in
+1.5 in in Baltimore, MD

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in St. Louis, MO

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
21.8
13.7
+37% in Baltimore, MD
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.94
$24.13
+27% in St. Louis, MO

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 Baltimore, MD
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 (MD / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in MD
Income Tax (top rate)
6.50%
4.70%
+1.8 pp in MD

Baltimore vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baltimore or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Baltimore, MD's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baltimore than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Baltimore versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Baltimore or St. Louis?
Baltimore is taxed under Maryland's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% 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).