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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Nashua or St. Louis?

Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire'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).

Nashua vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Nashua

New Hampshire

$1,660/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 $1,660 in Nashua, NH versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashua, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $92,457 in Nashua, NH and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 40% higher in Nashua, NH. New Hampshire 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.

Nashua, NH

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$864

+23% in Nashua, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,383

$866

+37% in Nashua, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,699

$1,109

+35% in Nashua, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,951

$1,135

+42% in Nashua, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$373,100

$185,100

+50% in Nashua, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$92,457

$55,279

+40% in Nashua, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$49,990

+12% in Nashua, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.7 yr

36.6 yr

+3.1 yr in Nashua, NH

Homeownership

56.4%

45.4%

+11.0 pp in Nashua, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

40.2%

+0.3 pp in Nashua, NH

Avg Commute

25.3 min

22.2 min

+3.1 min in Nashua, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

164.9

1,372.9

+733% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

1,269

5,794.9

+357% 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

49.2°F

55.7°F

+6.5°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

40.9 in

+3.6 in in Nashua, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Nashua, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

16.2

+40% in Nashua, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$28.78

+33% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Nashua, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Nashua, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Nashua, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Nashua, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / MO)

None

4.225%

+4.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Nashua vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashua than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Nashua or St. Louis?: Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire'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).