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

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

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

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 Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Tucson?

St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

St. Louis vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$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 Tucson, AZ. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 1% higher in St. Louis, MO. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$864

$795

+8% in St. Louis, MO

1 Bedroom

$866

$891

+3% in Tucson, AZ

2 Bedroom

$1,109

$1,146

+3% in Tucson, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,135

$1,520

+34% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$185,100

$242,200

+31% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$55,279

$54,546

+1% in St. Louis, MO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,990

$47,760

+4% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.6 yr

34.6 yr

+2.0 yr in St. Louis, MO

Homeownership

45.4%

51.7%

+6.3 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.2%

30.2%

+10.0 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

22.2 min

about equal

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,372.9

645.8

+53% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

5,794.9

3,460

+40% 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

70.2°F

+14.5°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

40.9 in

11.6 in

+29.3 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Tucson, AZ

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.7

15.2

+11% in Tucson, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.13

$22.44

+7% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / AZ)

4.225%

5.6%

+1.4 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

4.70%

2.50%

+2.2 pp in MO

St. Louis vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Tucson?: St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Tucson?: 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 Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Tucson?: St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).