Living Cost Compare
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

vs
Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/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 $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 21% higher in Santa Fe, NM. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO
Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio
$864
$969
+12% in Santa Fe, NM
1 Bedroom
$866
$1,167
+35% in Santa Fe, NM
2 Bedroom
$1,109
$1,559
+41% in Santa Fe, NM
3 Bedroom
$1,135
$1,733
+53% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$185,100
$411,500
+122% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income
$55,279
$70,110
+27% in Santa Fe, NM
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$48,710
+3% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
46.4 yr
+9.8 yr in Santa Fe, NM
Homeownership
45.4%
62.8%
+17.4 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.2%
45.4%
+5.2 pp in Santa Fe, NM
Avg Commute
22.2 min
20.2 min
+2.0 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,372.9
843.3
+39% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
5,794.9
5,189
+10% 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
51.9°F
+3.8°F in St. Louis, MO
Annual Precipitation
40.9 in
13.5 in
+27.4 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in St. Louis, MO

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.7
14.1
+3% in Santa Fe, NM
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.13
$11.90
+51% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Santa Fe, NM
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Santa Fe, NM
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Santa Fe, NM
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Santa Fe, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / NM)
4.225%
4.875%
+0.7 pp in NM
Income Tax (top rate)
4.70%
5.90%
+1.2 pp in NM

St. Louis vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Santa Fe?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Santa Fe?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Santa Fe?
St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).