Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Louis, MO and West New York, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Louis, MO and West New York, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,429 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,295 in West New York, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,665 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,204 in West New York, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,900 in Saint Louis, MO versus $3,113 in West New York, NJ.

Living in Saint Louis, MO is roughly 88% more expensive than in West New York, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint Louis, MO is 77% above, West New York, NJ is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 $17.91

$18.94 $18.94

-5.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 $77.2

$80.1 $80.1

-3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$12.95 $12.95

-6.25%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$4.91 $4.91

7.13%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.53 $2.53

-0.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.09 $1.09

61.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.84 $5.84

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.91 $6.91

2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.32 $1.32

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.39 $4.39

-14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.94 $5.94

-1.18%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$4.87 $4.87

-20.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$13.70 $13.70

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.46 $15.46

$10.40 $10.40

48.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.64 $20.64

$19.89 $19.89

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$8.23 $8.23

$5.93 $5.93

38.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.64 $3.64

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.28 $4.28

28.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.23 $5.23

-2.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.13 $3.13

34.82%

Onion (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.55 $3.55

36.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.98 $2.98

-7.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.96 $2.96

-5.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$11.77 $11.77

-29.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.94 $14.94

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.85 $1.85

51.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.54 $3.54

-7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.59 $3.59

-31.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 $79.1

$127 $127

-37.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.98 $2.98

14.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.12 $2.12

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.24 $40.24

$42.20 $42.20

-4.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.83 $0.83

8.43%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

1.14%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

-4.97%

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

$246 $246

$84.2 $84.2

191.67%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$49.21 $49.21

43.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$50.9 $50.9

46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.11 $33.11

$28.60 $28.60

15.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 $20.29

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 $14.07

$20.03 $20.03

-29.76%

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

$1,390 $1,390

$1,726 $1,726

-19.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$16.0K $16.0K

46.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$49.53 $49.53

18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.66 $42.66

$81.0 $81.0

-47.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$85.2 $85.2

3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$102 $102

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 $1,533

$2,699 $2,699

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 $946

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 $1,720

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,362 $1,362

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 $1,848

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,258 $4,258

$5,240 $5,240

-18.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

6.3

-3.33%

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

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: August 31, 2026

Last update for West New York, NJ: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,533 in Saint Louis, MO and $2,699 in West New York, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West New York, NJ pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Saint Louis, MO vs $80.0 in West New York, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $489 vs $458, with West New York, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

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 West New York, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

West New York, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in West New York, NJ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,533 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,699 in West New York, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,390 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,726 in West New York, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Saint Louis, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. West New York, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find West New York, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.