Question 1

Is Cincinnati or St. Louis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $218/month less than in Cincinnati, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,353/mo in Cincinnati versus $1,218/mo in St. Louis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Cincinnati vs St. Louis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $67,000/year before tax in Cincinnati, OH and $63,000/year in St. Louis, MO — a difference of about $4,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Cincinnati or St. Louis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

St. Louis, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,267/month in Cincinnati and $8,482/month in St. Louis, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Cincinnati or St. Louis?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. St. Louis costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Cincinnati64	St. Louis63
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,703	$3,485
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,267	$8,482
Salary for comfort	$67,000/yr	$63,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,353	$1,218
Median home value	$215,300	$185,100
Median household income	$51,707	$55,279
Unemployment	4.0%	4.1%
Housing score	46	71
Jobs score	78	72
Safety score	19	6
Climate score	93	97
Amenities score	58	40
Population	309.6K	293.1K
Summer high / winter low	87° / 22°	88° / 23°

Cincinnati, OH vs St. Louis, MO