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

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $53,000 in Tampa.

Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Tampa?

St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

St. Louis vs Tampa Cost of Living 2026

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 22% higher in Tampa, FL. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO

Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio

$864

$1,242

+44% in Tampa, FL

1 Bedroom

$866

$1,324

+53% in Tampa, FL

2 Bedroom

$1,109

$1,673

+51% in Tampa, FL

3 Bedroom

$1,135

$1,729

+52% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$185,100

$375,300

+103% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$55,279

$71,302

+29% in Tampa, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,990

$48,940

+2% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.6 yr

35.6 yr

+1.0 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

45.4%

50.2%

+4.8 pp in Tampa, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.2%

44.6%

+4.4 pp in Tampa, FL

Avg Commute

22.2 min

24.7 min

+2.5 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,372.9

443.2

+68% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

5,794.9

1,473.2

+75% 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

73.4°F

+17.7°F in Tampa, FL

Annual Precipitation

40.9 in

46.3 in

+5.4 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.77/gal

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs HART (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.7

15.2

+11% in Tampa, FL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.13

$23.62

+2% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in St. Louis, MO

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Tampa, FL

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in St. Louis, MO

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / FL)

4.225%

+1.8 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

4.70%

None

+4.7 pp in MO

St. Louis vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Tampa?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Tampa?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Tampa?: St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).