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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Memphis, TN's $1,110, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Memphis versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Memphis or St. Louis?

Memphis is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Memphis vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Memphis

Tennessee

$1,110/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 $1,110 in Memphis, TN versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Memphis, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $51,211 in Memphis, TN and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 7% higher in St. Louis, MO. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Memphis, TN

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$877

$864

+1% in Memphis, TN

1 Bedroom

$948

$866

+9% in Memphis, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,073

$1,109

+3% in St. Louis, MO

3 Bedroom

$1,281

$1,135

+11% in Memphis, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$157,100

$185,100

+18% in St. Louis, MO

Income

Median Household Income

$51,211

$55,279

+8% in St. Louis, MO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,890

$49,990

+7% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.3 yr

36.6 yr

+2.3 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

46.0%

45.4%

+0.6 pp in Memphis, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

28.2%

40.2%

+12.0 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

21.3 min

22.2 min

+0.9 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

2,507.6

1,372.9

+45% in Memphis, TN

Property Crime

6,966.3

5,794.9

+17% in Memphis, TN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

63.1°F

55.7°F

+7.4°F in Memphis, TN

Annual Precipitation

53.7 in

40.9 in

+12.7 in in Memphis, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.5

13.7

+5% in Memphis, TN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$16.83

$24.13

+43% in St. Louis, MO

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 Memphis, TN

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

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / MO)

4.225%

+2.8 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Memphis vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Memphis or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Memphis, TN's $1,110, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Memphis than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Memphis versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Memphis or St. Louis?: Memphis is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% 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).