Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St. Louis, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St. Louis, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,620 in St. Louis, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,803 in St. Louis, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $4,985 in St. Louis, MO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 46% more expensive than in St. Louis, MO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, St. Louis, MO 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$18.63 $18.63

32.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$74.2 $74.2

33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.82 $10.82

39.46%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.16 $5.16

28.29%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.53 $2.53

23.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.95 $1.95

52.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.08 $6.08

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.80 $6.80

15.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.03 $1.03

13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.48 $3.48

49.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.20 $4.20

52.38%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$4.07 $4.07

20.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$12.22 $12.22

75.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$11.42 $11.42

62.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$15.51 $15.51

48.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$4.99 $4.99

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.62 $1.62

16.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.17 $4.17

29.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.76 $4.76

32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.77 $2.77

37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.84 $2.84

14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.08 $2.08

37.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.12 $2.12

27.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.88 $9.88

43.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$13.87 $13.87

8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.82 $1.82

139.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.38 $3.38

70.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.02 $2.02

51.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.56 $3.56

-27.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.59 $1.59

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$29.10 $29.10

2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.89 $0.89

55.06%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$29.8K $29.8K

22.14%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.94%

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

$296 $296

$187 $187

58.31%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$53.7 $53.7

32.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$68.7 $68.7

28.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$43.26 $43.26

88.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$13.42 $13.42

36.59%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,318 $1,318

132.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

27.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$51.2 $51.2

50.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$39.33 $39.33

37.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$86.4 $86.4

47.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$111 $111

48.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,630 $1,630

48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,334 $1,334

44.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,650 $2,650

79.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,201 $2,201

62.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,727 $2,727

171.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,468 $2,468

104.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.51

-1.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for St. Louis, MO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,630 in St. Louis, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $74.0 in St. Louis, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $385 per month, with St. 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 St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Louis, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,754 in Seattle, WA and $3,931 in St. Louis, MO to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,630 in St. Louis, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $1,318 in St. Louis, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Louis, MO – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, St. 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 St. Louis, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.