Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Louis, MO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Louis, MO: $2,361 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Saint Louis, MO
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Saint Louis, MO Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Saint Louis, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,361

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Louis, MO and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Louis, MO and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,361 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $2,361
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $3,555
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,749 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $4,749
Chicago, IL $5,999

Saint Louis, MO is about 22% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Saint Louis, MO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saint Louis, MO by 73%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$20.71 $20.71

-14.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$89.2 $89.2

-14.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$13.19 $13.19

-10.31%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$5.66 $5.66

-10.95%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.64 $2.64

-9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.28 $2.28

-22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 $5.72

$6.87 $6.87

-16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$8.84 $8.84

-21.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.25 $1.25

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.72 $3.72

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.39 $5.39

9.09%

Eggs

$3.86 $3.86

$4.74 $4.74

-18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$13.84 $13.84

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$14.40 $14.40

8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.61 $20.61

$18.38 $18.38

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$8.44 $8.44

$5.22 $5.22

61.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.98 $1.98

19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.06 $4.06

42.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.97 $4.97

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.67 $2.67

64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.66 $2.66

85.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.24 $2.24

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.13 $3.13

-6.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 $8.16

$13.82 $13.82

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.88 $14.88

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.54 $2.54

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.51 $3.51

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.43 $2.43

4.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.3 $78.3

$73.5 $73.5

6.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.18 $3.18

8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 $1.39

14.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.27 $39.27

$25.03 $25.03

56.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.20 $1.20

-16.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.0K $29.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-17.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$246 $246

$194 $194

26.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.5 $69.5

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$61.6 $61.6

22.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.83 $28.83

$47.90 $47.90

-39.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$27.34 $27.34

-26.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$17.81 $17.81

-22.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,404 $1,404

$1,794 $1,794

-21.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 $58.9

$67.0 $67.0

-12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 $39.31

$52.1 $52.1

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$102 $102

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$2,526 $2,526

-42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 $881

$1,578 $1,578

-44.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$4,738 $4,738

-62.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 $1,519

$2,693 $2,693

-43.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 $1,631

$4,190 $4,190

-61.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,819 $1,819

$2,768 $2,768

-34.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,178 $4,178

$4,931 $4,931

-15.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Louis, MO

$881 37.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 79% $697

Groceries & Markets

Saint Louis, MO

$496 21%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.8% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Louis, MO

$391 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 16.8% $66

Eating Out

Saint Louis, MO

$297 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 15.9% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Louis, MO

$138 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 18.5% $26

Getting Around

Saint Louis, MO

$100 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 6.6% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Louis, MO

$56 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 48.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,453 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Saint Louis, MO versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $496 in Saint Louis, MO vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Louis, MO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:01 5:01 PM

Same time as Saint Louis, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

301,578

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Saint Louis, MO Chicago, IL 420 km

From you

Saint Louis, MO
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Saint Louis, MO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,361 in Saint Louis, MO, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Saint Louis, MO comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,542 per month in Saint Louis, MO and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Louis, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,453 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Saint Louis, MO and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Louis, MO – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Louis, MO. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.