City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Columbia | St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $997/mo | $938/mo | 6.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $248,600 | $174,100 | 42.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $60,455 | $52,941 | 14.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 96.3 | 96.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.7 | 91.7 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 96.9 | 96.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 99.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Columbia, you'd need $94,074 in St. Louis to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
St. Louis, MO is about 5.9% cheaper overall than Columbia, MO, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in St. Louis than in Columbia. If you earn $80,000 in Columbia, you'd need about $75,259 in St. Louis to keep the same standard of living.