Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,010/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 $1,010 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Louis, MO, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 10% higher in St. Louis, MO. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$881
$864
+2% in Baton Rouge, LA
1 Bedroom
$854
$866
+1% in St. Louis, MO
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$1,109
+3% in St. Louis, MO
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,135
+9% in Baton Rouge, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$185,100
+18% in Baton Rouge, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$55,279
+11% in St. Louis, MO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$49,990
+3% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
36.6 yr
+4.8 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
46.9%
45.4%
+1.5 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
40.2%
+4.4 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
21.1 min
22.2 min
+1.1 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
1,372.9
+350% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
1,756.3
5,794.9
+230% 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
68.5°F
55.7°F
+12.8°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
40.9 in
+19.7 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

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

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
13.7
+3% in Baton Rouge, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$24.13
+45% 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 Baton Rouge, LA
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 (LA / MO)
5%
4.225%
+0.8 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
4.70%
+1.7 pp in MO

Baton Rouge vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or St. Louis?
Baton Rouge, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below St. Louis, MO's $1,030, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or St. Louis?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% 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).