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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Philadelphia versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Philadelphia or St. Louis?

Philadelphia is taxed under Pennsylvania's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Philadelphia vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 9% higher in Philadelphia, PA. Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Philadelphia, PA

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,126

$864

+23% in Philadelphia, PA

1 Bedroom

$1,189

$866

+27% in Philadelphia, PA

2 Bedroom

$1,394

$1,109

+20% in Philadelphia, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,406

$1,135

+19% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$232,400

$185,100

+20% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income

$60,698

$55,279

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,310

$49,990

+8% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.1 yr

36.6 yr

+1.5 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

52.3%

45.4%

+6.9 pp in Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

34.6%

40.2%

+5.6 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

32.0 min

22.2 min

+9.8 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

917.1

1,372.9

+50% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

4,615.3

5,794.9

+26% 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

57.1°F

55.7°F

+1.4°F in Philadelphia, PA

Annual Precipitation

48.5 in

40.9 in

+7.6 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in St. Louis, MO

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.50

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

21.6

13.7

+37% in Philadelphia, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$19.17

$24.13

+26% 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 Philadelphia, PA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Philadelphia, PA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Philadelphia, PA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Philadelphia, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (PA / MO)

4.225%

+1.8 pp in PA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.07%

4.70%

+1.6 pp in MO

Philadelphia vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Philadelphia or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Philadelphia than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Philadelphia versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Philadelphia or St. Louis?: Philadelphia is taxed under Pennsylvania's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).