Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Saint Louis, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Saint Louis, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $2,433 in Saint Louis, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $3,689 in Saint Louis, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $4,945 in Saint Louis, MO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 59% more expensive than in Saint Louis, MO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Saint Louis, MO 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$18.03 $18.03

38.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$78.0 $78.0

28.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$11.97 $11.97

25.81%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$5.14 $5.14

23.93%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.46 $2.46

25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.69 $1.69

77.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$5.85 $5.85

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.10 $7.10

15.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.28 $1.28

-5.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.83 $3.83

30.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$5.70 $5.70

12.11%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$3.99 $3.99

28.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$13.36 $13.36

57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.51 $15.51

18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$20.56 $20.56

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.55 $8.55

-31.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.36 $2.36

-20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.69 $5.69

-7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$5.29 $5.29

22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.30 $4.30

-14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.89 $4.89

-31.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.91 $2.91

-4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.84 $2.84

-9.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$8.04 $8.04

73.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.82 $14.82

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.90 $2.90

47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.34 $3.34

75.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.53 $2.53

15.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$78.8 $78.8

38.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.40 $3.40

-24.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.59 $1.59

8.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$40.34 $40.34

-24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.93 $0.93

50.54%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$34.7K $34.7K

4.14%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

2.78%

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

$299 $299

$246 $246

21.82%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$70.2 $70.2

-1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$74.9 $74.9

17.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$32.06 $32.06

150.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

$19.91 $19.91

75.44%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$14.14 $14.14

25.18%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$1,390 $1,390

117.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$23.8K $23.8K

30.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$58.0 $58.0

33.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$43.00 $43.00

28.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.4 $88.4

45.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$117 $117

36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$1,532 $1,532

62.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$930 $930

107.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$2,052 $2,052

131.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$1,694 $1,694

114.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$1,368 $1,368

454.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$1,813 $1,813

181.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$4,265 $4,265

45.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.09

5.91%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $1,532 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 46% 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: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $78.0 in Saint Louis, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $495 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

Seattle, WA vs Saint Louis, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Louis, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $1,532 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,020 in Seattle, WA versus $1,390 in Saint Louis, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Seattle, WA. 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.

For families, Saint Louis, MO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Saint Louis, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.