Living Cost Compare
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/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 $1,080 in Little Rock, AR versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Little Rock, AR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,583 in Little Rock, AR and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 9% higher in Little Rock, AR. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Little Rock, AR
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$981
$864
+12% in Little Rock, AR
1 Bedroom
$904
$866
+4% in Little Rock, AR
2 Bedroom
$1,064
$1,109
+4% in St. Louis, MO
3 Bedroom
$1,292
$1,135
+12% in Little Rock, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$221,200
$185,100
+16% in Little Rock, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$60,583
$55,279
+9% in Little Rock, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$45,790
$49,990
+9% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
36.6 yr
+0.2 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
54.2%
45.4%
+8.8 pp in Little Rock, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.0%
40.2%
+3.8 pp in Little Rock, AR
Avg Commute
18.3 min
22.2 min
+3.9 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,673
1,372.9
+18% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
5,251.5
5,794.9
+10% 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
62.7°F
55.7°F
+7.0°F in Little Rock, AR
Annual Precipitation
49.8 in
40.9 in
+8.8 in in Little Rock, AR

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)
14.4
13.7
+5% in Little Rock, AR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$25.93
$24.13
+7% in Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR
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 (AR / MO)
6.5%
4.225%
+2.3 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
4.70%
+0.8 pp in MO

Little Rock vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Little Rock or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Little Rock, AR's $1,080, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Little Rock than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Little Rock versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Little Rock or St. Louis?
Little Rock is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).