Compare / Kansas City to St. Louis
Kansas City, MO vs St. Louis, MO
Simple answer
You'd likely save $197 a month in St. Louis.
This is the HUD 2-bedroom fair-market rent for October 2026 through September 2027. It is not your lease.
The largest cost gap in this pair is Fair Market Rent. The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap is $197: Kansas City is higher at $1,546 versus $1,349.
Missouri taxes wages at rates up to 4.70%. Missouri taxes wages at rates up to 4.70%. Combined sales tax differs by 0.0 percentage points, higher in Missouri. The effective property tax gap is 0.00 percentage points, higher in Missouri.
Both metros are in Missouri, so benefit eligibility in this tool does not change with the move. Rent and price levels still differ.
A $75,000 salary in Kansas City lines up with about $77,063 in St. Louis on the 2024 all-items price parity. Census median gross rent and the commute figures are 2024. Fair Market Rents are fiscal year 2027.
Kansas City
Kansas City, MO-KS
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,546
- HUD area
- Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $1,315
- All-items price parity
- 92.5
- Goods price parity
- 94.1
- Utilities price parity
- 89.0
- Mean commute
- 23.7 min
- Median household income
- $83,785
St. Louis
St. Louis, MO-IL
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,349
- HUD area
- St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $1,154
- All-items price parity
- 95.1
- Goods price parity
- 100.0
- Utilities price parity
- 69.9
- Mean commute
- 25.4 min
- Median household income
- $81,679
Equivalent salary
The first number keeps the same place in the national price level. The second also runs 2026 federal income tax, employee Social Security and Medicare, and a simplified state income tax. Groceries use the BEA goods price parity, not a grocery receipt.
$77,063
Salary in St. Louis that matches the 2024 all-items regional price parity.
$77,473
Gross salary in St. Louis whose after-tax pay buys the same basket, using price parities.
$65,443
Scales the salary by the ratio of HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents. Rent is not the whole budget.
Taxes on the two sides of the move
| Tax | Missouri | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax on wages | up to 4.70% | up to 4.70% |
| Combined sales tax, Jan 1, 2026 | 8.4% | 8.4% |
| Effective property tax, ACS 2024 median / median | 0.79% | 0.79% |
On a $400,000 home, the state median effective rate implies about $3,178 a year in Missouri and $3,178 in Missouri. That illustration is not a local bill. Childcare prices are not in the verified dataset for these metros.
Benefits if you land in Missouri
Kansas City and St. Louis are in Missouri. The benefit rules in this tool are statewide, so the statuses match. Rent and prices still differ.
Food stamps (SNAP)
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
Medicaid and CHIP
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
WIC
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
School meals
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
LIHEAP
Kansas CityMaybe
St. LouisMaybe
Earned Income Tax Credit
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
Child Tax Credit
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
Marketplace premium tax credits
Kansas CityUnlikely
St. LouisUnlikely
Lifeline phone and internet
Kansas CityLikely eligible
St. LouisLikely eligible
SSI
Kansas CityUnlikely
St. LouisUnlikely
| Program | Kansas City | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Food stamps (SNAP) | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Medicaid and CHIP | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| WIC | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| School meals | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| LIHEAP | Maybe | Maybe |
| Earned Income Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Child Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Marketplace premium tax credits | Unlikely | Unlikely |
| Lifeline phone and internet | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| SSI | Unlikely | Unlikely |
Related comparisons
From Kansas City
The eight largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gaps from Kansas City.
- Kansas City and San Francisco · rent gap $2,151
- Kansas City and San Jose · rent gap $1,726
- Kansas City and Boston · rent gap $1,462
- Kansas City and New York · rent gap $1,425
- Kansas City and Los Angeles · rent gap $1,418
- Kansas City and San Diego · rent gap $1,277
- Kansas City and Miami · rent gap $1,018
- Kansas City and Seattle · rent gap $1,003
How the salary and tax math works · The reverse city order redirects to this address.