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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or St. Louis?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Denver vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 40% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Denver, CO

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$864

+42% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$866

+45% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,109

+43% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$1,135

+50% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$185,100

+68% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$55,279

+40% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$49,990

+20% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

36.6 yr

+1.4 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

49.1%

45.4%

+3.7 pp in Denver, CO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

40.2%

+15.4 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

22.2 min

+3.2 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

999.3

1,372.9

+37% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

4,781.1

5,794.9

+21% 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

50.2°F

55.7°F

+5.5°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

40.9 in

+25.4 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

13.7

+15% in Denver, CO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.92

$24.13

+102% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / MO)

2.9%

4.225%

+1.3 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

4.70%

+0.3 pp in MO

Denver vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or St. Louis?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).