Living Cost Compare
Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Rapid City, SD versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Louis, MO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,712 in Rapid City, SD and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 16% higher in Rapid City, SD. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Rapid City, SD
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$533
$864
+62% in St. Louis, MO
1 Bedroom
$807
$866
+7% in St. Louis, MO
2 Bedroom
$1,156
$1,109
+4% in Rapid City, SD
3 Bedroom
$1,260
$1,135
+10% in Rapid City, SD

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$270,000
$185,100
+31% in Rapid City, SD

Income

Median Household Income
$65,712
$55,279
+16% in Rapid City, SD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,270
$49,990
+8% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.0 yr
36.6 yr
+2.4 yr in Rapid City, SD
Homeownership
61.6%
45.4%
+16.2 pp in Rapid City, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
40.2%
+3.8 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
17.4 min
22.2 min
+4.8 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
718.9
1,372.9
+91% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
3,795.8
5,794.9
+53% 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
47.1°F
55.7°F
+8.6°F in St. Louis, MO
Annual Precipitation
16.3 in
40.9 in
+24.6 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.85/gal
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
16.2
+6% in St. Louis, MO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.26
$28.78
+89% 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 (SD / MO)
4.2%
4.225%
+0.0 pp in MO
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.70%
+4.7 pp in MO

Rapid City vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Rapid City or St. Louis?
Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below St. Louis, MO's $1,060, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Rapid City than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $32,000 a year in Rapid City versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Rapid City or St. Louis?
Rapid City is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).