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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Reno, NV's $1,350, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Reno 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 Reno versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Reno or St. Louis?

Reno is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Reno vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Reno

Nevada

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Reno, NV versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Reno, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,448 in Reno, NV and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 30% higher in Reno, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Reno, NV

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$964

$864

+10% in Reno, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,206

$866

+28% in Reno, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,518

$1,109

+27% in Reno, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,885

$1,135

+40% in Reno, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$498,600

$185,100

+63% in Reno, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$78,448

$55,279

+30% in Reno, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$49,990

+1% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.3 yr

36.6 yr

+0.7 yr in Reno, NV

Homeownership

49.4%

45.4%

+4.0 pp in Reno, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

35.7%

40.2%

+4.5 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

20.6 min

22.2 min

+1.6 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

528.9

1,372.9

+160% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

2,489.3

5,794.9

+133% 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

53.8°F

55.7°F

+1.9°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

7.4 in

40.9 in

+33.5 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.94/gal

+23% in Reno, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

13.7

+1% in St. Louis, MO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$24.13

+100% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Reno, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Reno, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Reno, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Reno, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / MO)

6.85%

4.225%

+2.6 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Reno vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Reno or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Reno, NV's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Reno 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 Reno versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Reno or St. Louis?: Reno is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).