Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/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 $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 63% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$864
+50% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$866
+46% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,109
+41% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,135
+54% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$185,100
+64% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$55,279
+63% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$49,990
+9% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
36.6 yr
+3.5 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
45.4%
+28.9 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
40.2%
+31.5 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
22.2 min
+9.2 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
1,372.9
+1502% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
892.2
5,794.9
+550% 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
49.9°F
55.7°F
+5.8°F in St. Louis, MO
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
40.9 in
+4.0 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
13.7
+43% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$24.13
+57% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.66
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$3.63
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.77
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / MO)
6.25%
4.225%
+2.0 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
4.70%
+0.3 pp in IL

Naperville vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or St. Louis?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% 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).