Question 1

Is Kansas City or St. Louis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $334/month less than in Kansas City, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,358/mo in Kansas City versus $1,218/mo in St. Louis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Kansas City vs St. Louis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $70,500/year before tax in Kansas City, MO and $63,000/year in St. Louis, MO — a difference of about $7,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Kansas City 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 $8,719/month in Kansas City and $8,482/month in St. Louis, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Kansas City 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	Kansas City69	St. Louis63
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,819	$3,485
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$8,719	$8,482
Salary for comfort	$70,500/yr	$63,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,358	$1,218
Median home value	$227,000	$185,100
Median household income	$67,449	$55,279
Unemployment	3.6%	4.1%
Housing score	79	71
Jobs score	84	72
Safety score	16	6
Climate score	96	97
Amenities score	54	40
Population	508.2K	293.1K
Summer high / winter low	90° / 22°	88° / 23°

Kansas City, MO vs St. Louis, MO