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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 62% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or St. Louis?

Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).

Cambridge vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Cambridge

Massachusetts

$2,810/mo est.

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,810 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 62% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $126,469 in Cambridge, MA and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 56% higher in Cambridge, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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.

Cambridge, MA

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$2,236

$864

+61% in Cambridge, MA

1 Bedroom

$2,496

$866

+65% in Cambridge, MA

2 Bedroom

$2,980

$1,109

+63% in Cambridge, MA

3 Bedroom

$3,325

$1,135

+66% in Cambridge, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$1,040,500

$185,100

+82% in Cambridge, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$126,469

$55,279

+56% in Cambridge, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$66,620

$49,990

+25% in Cambridge, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

30.5 yr

36.6 yr

+6.1 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

33.7%

45.4%

+11.7 pp in St. Louis, MO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

80.2%

40.2%

+40.0 pp in Cambridge, MA

Avg Commute

26.1 min

22.2 min

+3.9 min in Cambridge, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

436.7

1,372.9

+214% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

2,657.6

5,794.9

+118% 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

51.5°F

55.7°F

+4.2°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

43.8 in

40.9 in

+2.8 in in Cambridge, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.07/gal

$3.85/gal

+5% in Cambridge, MA

Area: Massachusetts vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

29.6

16.2

+45% in Cambridge, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.66

$28.78

+6% in Cambridge, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Cambridge, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Cambridge, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Cambridge, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Cambridge, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / MO)

6.25%

4.225%

+2.0 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

9.00%

4.70%

+4.3 pp in MA

Cambridge vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 62% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or St. Louis?: Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).