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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Provo, UT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Provo versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Provo or St. Louis?

Provo is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Provo vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Provo

Utah

$1,120/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 $1,120 in Provo, UT versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Provo, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,800 in Provo, UT and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 12% higher in Provo, UT. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Provo, UT

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$1,009

$864

+14% in Provo, UT

1 Bedroom

$978

$866

+11% in Provo, UT

2 Bedroom

$1,128

$1,109

+2% in Provo, UT

3 Bedroom

$1,381

$1,135

+18% in Provo, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$437,100

$185,100

+58% in Provo, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$62,800

$55,279

+12% in Provo, UT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,010

$49,990

+4% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

23.7 yr

36.6 yr

+12.9 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

39.9%

45.4%

+5.5 pp in St. Louis, MO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

45.0%

40.2%

+4.8 pp in Provo, UT

Avg Commute

18.5 min

22.2 min

+3.7 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

205.7

1,372.9

+567% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

1,280.6

5,794.9

+353% 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

53.4°F

55.7°F

+2.3°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

19.8 in

40.9 in

+21.2 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Provo, UT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.4

16.2

+21% in St. Louis, MO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.84

$28.78

+143% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Provo, UT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Provo, UT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Provo, UT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Provo, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (UT / MO)

6.1%

4.225%

+1.9 pp in UT

Income Tax (top rate)

4.50%

4.70%

+0.2 pp in MO

Provo vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Provo or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Provo, UT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Provo than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Provo versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Provo or St. Louis?: Provo is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).