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

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

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Rutland versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Rutland or St. Louis?

Rutland is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% 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).

Rutland vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Rutland

Vermont

$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 Rutland, VT versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Rutland, VT, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $55,000 in Rutland, VT and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 1% higher in St. Louis, MO. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Rutland, VT

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$893

$864

+3% in Rutland, VT

1 Bedroom

$856

$866

+1% in St. Louis, MO

2 Bedroom

$1,097

$1,109

+1% in St. Louis, MO

3 Bedroom

$1,207

$1,135

+6% in Rutland, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$176,400

$185,100

+5% in St. Louis, MO

Income

Median Household Income

$55,000

$55,279

+1% in St. Louis, MO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$49,990

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

48.5 yr

36.6 yr

+11.9 yr in Rutland, VT

Homeownership

52.7%

45.4%

+7.3 pp in Rutland, VT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.2%

40.2%

+8.0 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

14.7 min

22.2 min

+7.5 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

487.8

1,372.9

+181% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

3,973.3

5,794.9

+46% 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

44.6°F

55.7°F

+11.1°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

40.5 in

40.9 in

+0.5 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Rutland, VT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

24.4

16.2

+34% in Rutland, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$26.07

$28.78

+10% 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 Rutland, VT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Rutland, VT

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Rutland, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Rutland, VT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / MO)

4.225%

+1.8 pp in VT

Income Tax (top rate)

8.75%

4.70%

+4.0 pp in VT

Rutland vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Rutland or St. Louis?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Rutland, VT's $1,120, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Rutland than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Rutland versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Rutland or St. Louis?: Rutland is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% 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).