Question 1

Is Saint Paul or St. Louis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $349/month less than in Saint Paul, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,248/mo in Saint Paul versus $1,218/mo in St. Louis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Saint Paul vs St. Louis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $71,000/year before tax in Saint Paul, MN and $63,000/year in St. Louis, MO — a difference of about $8,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Saint Paul 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 $10,204/month in Saint Paul and $8,482/month in St. Louis, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Saint Paul 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	Saint Paul61	St. Louis63
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,834	$3,485
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$10,204	$8,482
Salary for comfort	$71,000/yr	$63,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,248	$1,218
Median home value	$280,300	$185,100
Median household income	$73,055	$55,279
Unemployment	4.4%	4.1%
Housing score	77	71
Jobs score	37	72
Safety score	48	6
Climate score	61	97
Amenities score	47	40
Population	307.8K	293.1K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 9°	88° / 23°

Saint Paul, MN vs St. Louis, MO