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: $2,435 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,611 in West New York, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,713 in Saint Louis, MO versus $3,901 in West New York, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,990 in Saint Louis, MO versus $5,191 in West New York, NJ.

Living in Saint Louis, MO costs roughly 7% less than in West New York, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Louis, MO 82% above, West New York, NJ 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$16.89 $16.89

49.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 $68.8

$99.4 $99.4

-30.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$11.96 $11.96

-8.70%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$4.93 $4.93

-1.22%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.34 $2.34

6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.09 $1.09

74.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.56 $5.56

$6.02 $6.02

-7.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.79 $6.79

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.27 $1.27

-25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$4.34 $4.34

-33.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.67 $5.67

0.88%

Eggs

$2.95 $2.95

$5.05 $5.05

-41.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$14.08 $14.08

1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.27 $10.27

14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$19.92 $19.92

-16.01%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$5.74 $5.74

27.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.50 $1.50

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.40 $4.40

28.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.14 $4.14

-0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.09 $3.09

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.65 $2.65

46.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.83 $2.83

-18.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.93 $1.93

23.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 $7.52

$12.19 $12.19

-38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$14.97 $14.97

0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.76 $1.76

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.47 $4.47

-9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.67 $3.67

-30.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.2 $77.2

$126 $126

-38.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.96 $2.96

20.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$2.13 $2.13

-29.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.84 $39.84

$41.37 $41.37

-3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.84 $0.84

-1.19%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

38.55%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.92%

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

$246 $246

$85.5 $85.5

187.83%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$50.2 $50.2

4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$57.3 $57.3

21.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.10 $27.10

$28.44 $28.44

-4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 $19.78

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 $12.93

$19.61 $19.61

-34.06%

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

$1,303 $1,303

$1,769 $1,769

-26.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$16.1K $16.1K

49.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$49.18 $49.18

2.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.11 $41.11

$80.6 $80.6

-48.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$86.8 $86.8

6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$98.9 $98.9

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 $1,424

$1,792 $1,792

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 $1,037

$1,373 $1,373

-24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,372 $2,372

$2,644 $2,644

-10.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$2,245 $2,245

-11.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,451 $1,451

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,880 $1,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,131 $4,131

$5,309 $5,309

-22.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.36

2.04%

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

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

Last update for West New York, NJ: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,424 in Saint Louis, MO and $1,792 in West New York, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West New York, NJ pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Saint Louis, MO vs $99.0 in West New York, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $425 vs $425 per month, with Saint Louis, MO cheaper across the board.

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

Saint Louis, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, West New York, NJ earns 29% less. 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: $1,424 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,792 in West New York, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,769 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 0% higher in West New York, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Saint Louis, MO 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 Saint Louis, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in West New York, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.