Living Cost Compare
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/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 $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 39% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$864
$1,496
+73% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$866
$1,357
+57% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,109
$1,559
+41% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,135
$1,857
+64% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$185,100
$366,300
+98% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$55,279
$90,685
+64% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$49,430
+1% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
37.4 yr
+0.8 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
45.4%
64.9%
+19.5 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.2%
40.4%
+0.2 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
22.2 min
23.2 min
+1.0 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,372.9
96.9
+93% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
5,794.9
1,664.9
+71% 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
59.9°F
+4.2°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
40.9 in
44.3 in
+3.4 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in St. Louis, MO

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.7
17.6
+29% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.13
$23.66
+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 Virginia Beach, VA
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
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / VA)
4.225%
5.3%
+1.1 pp in VA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.70%
5.75%
+1.0 pp in VA

St. Louis vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Virginia Beach?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Virginia Beach?
St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).