Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/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 $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 30% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$864
+39% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$866
+37% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,109
+26% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,135
+32% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$185,100
+47% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$55,279
+30% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$49,990
about equal

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
36.6 yr
+2.2 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
51.5%
45.4%
+6.1 pp in Charlotte, NC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
40.2%
+7.2 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
22.2 min
+2.8 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
1,372.9
+87% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
3,718.9
5,794.9
+56% 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
59.9°F
55.7°F
+4.2°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
40.9 in
+0.7 in in Charlotte, NC

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)
$2.20
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
13.7
+9% in Charlotte, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$24.13
+12% in Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC
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 (NC / MO)
4.75%
4.225%
+0.5 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
4.70%
+0.7 pp in MO

Charlotte vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or St. Louis?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).