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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Spokane, WA's $1,070, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $36,000 in Spokane.

Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Spokane?

St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Spokane under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax).

St. Louis vs Spokane Cost of Living 2026

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Spokane

Washington

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Spokane, WA. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Spokane, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $65,745 in Spokane, WA — about 16% higher in Spokane, WA. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO

Spokane, WA

Rent

Studio

$864

$884

+2% in Spokane, WA

1 Bedroom

$866

$903

+4% in Spokane, WA

2 Bedroom

$1,109

$1,192

+7% in Spokane, WA

3 Bedroom

$1,135

$1,442

+27% in Spokane, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$185,100

$326,200

+76% in Spokane, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$55,279

$65,745

+19% in Spokane, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,990

$54,660

+9% in Spokane, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.6 yr

37.2 yr

+0.6 yr in Spokane, WA

Homeownership

45.4%

58.3%

+12.9 pp in Spokane, WA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.2%

32.6%

+7.6 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

22.2 min

21.2 min

+1.0 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,372.9

683.6

+50% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

5,794.9

4,931.8

+15% 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

48.9°F

+6.8°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

40.9 in

17.8 in

+23.2 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.12/gal

+30% in Spokane, WA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Washington.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.7

14.9

+9% in Spokane, WA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.13

$20.41

+15% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Spokane, WA

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Spokane, WA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Spokane, WA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Spokane, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / WA)

4.225%

6.5%

+2.3 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

4.70%

None

+4.7 pp in MO

St. Louis vs Spokane — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Spokane?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Spokane, WA's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Spokane?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $36,000 in Spokane.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Spokane?: St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Spokane under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).