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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or St. Louis?

Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Fairbanks vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fairbanks, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 23% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$883

$864

+2% in Fairbanks, AK

1 Bedroom

$1,076

$866

+20% in Fairbanks, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,428

$1,109

+22% in Fairbanks, AK

3 Bedroom

$2,019

$1,135

+44% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$255,700

$185,100

+28% in Fairbanks, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$72,077

$55,279

+23% in Fairbanks, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,810

$49,990

+19% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

36.6 yr

+8.0 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

40.5%

45.4%

+4.9 pp in St. Louis, MO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.5%

40.2%

+13.7 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

14.1 min

22.2 min

+8.1 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

726.1

1,372.9

+89% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

3,504.2

5,794.9

+65% 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

27.7°F

55.7°F

+28.0°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

10.8 in

40.9 in

+30.1 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.85/gal

+26% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

16.2

+43% in Fairbanks, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$28.78

+66% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Fairbanks, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Fairbanks, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Fairbanks, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Fairbanks, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / MO)

None

4.225%

+4.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Fairbanks vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or St. Louis?: Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no 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).