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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,435 in Saint Louis, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,713 in Saint Louis, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,990 in Saint Louis, MO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 48% more expensive than Saint Louis, MO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Saint Louis, MO 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$25.30 $25.30

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$68.8 $68.8

71.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.92 $10.92

26.10%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.87 $4.87

17.25%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.49 $2.49

22.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.90 $1.90

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.56 $5.56

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$5.93 $5.93

32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.95 $0.95

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.90 $2.90

74.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.72 $5.72

-5.77%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$2.95 $2.95

132.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$14.33 $14.33

74.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.80 $11.80

34.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.73 $16.73

23.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$7.33 $7.33

-16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.30 $2.30

22.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.64 $5.64

-2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.13 $4.13

63.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.84 $3.84

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.87 $3.87

-1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.30 $2.30

16.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.38 $2.38

10.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$7.52 $7.52

54.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.09 $15.09

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.08 $2.08

40.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.03 $4.03

5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.55 $2.55

10.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$77.2 $77.2

29.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.58 $3.58

-27.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.50 $1.50

14.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$39.84 $39.84

-24.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.83 $0.83

43.37%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

-0.01%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.17%

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

$263 $263

$246 $246

6.73%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$52.6 $52.6

15.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$69.7 $69.7

8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$27.10 $27.10

193.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$19.78 $19.78

101.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$12.93 $12.93

25.83%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,303 $1,303

75.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$24.0K $24.0K

22.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$50.5 $50.5

36.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$41.11 $41.11

26.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$92.2 $92.2

25.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$118 $118

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,424 $1,424

64.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,037 $1,037

79.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,372 $2,372

95.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$1,987 $1,987

74.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$1,451 $1,451

435.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$1,880 $1,880

178.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,131 $4,131

60.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.49

-1.08%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,424 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 60% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $69.0 in Saint Louis, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 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

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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seattle, WA pays 60% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,424 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,303 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 29% 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 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.