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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Salem?

St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

St. Louis vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in St. Louis, MO versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salem, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 23% higher in Salem, OR. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$864

$1,075

+24% in Salem, OR

1 Bedroom

$866

$989

+14% in Salem, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,109

$1,337

+21% in Salem, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,135

$1,778

+57% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$185,100

$382,400

+107% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$55,279

$71,900

+30% in Salem, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,990

$55,310

+11% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.6 yr

35.7 yr

+0.9 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

45.4%

55.7%

+10.3 pp in Salem, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.2%

31.4%

+8.8 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

22.2 min

22.4 min

+0.2 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,372.9

540.6

+61% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

5,794.9

2,878.6

+50% 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

55.7°F

53.0°F

+2.7°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

40.9 in

39.7 in

+1.3 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Salem, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.7

16.3

+19% in Salem, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.13

$20.59

+15% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salem, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / OR)

4.225%

None

+4.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

4.70%

9.90%

+5.2 pp in OR

St. Louis vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Salem?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Salem?: St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).