Albany, CA vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 43.4% lower than Albany, CA.

Albany, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,050 / month
St. Louis, MO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,160 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Albany, CA and St. Louis, MO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Albany, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $3,218/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $111,380 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Albany, CA uses Oakland, CA. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 43.4%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$3,218

Savings

Annual Impact

$38.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Albany, CA

Population:19K

Cost Index:

153.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.18M

St. Louis, MO

Population:302K

Cost Index:

87.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$145K

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Albany, CA

The Golden State

19K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 19K residents.

St. Louis, MO

The Show-Me State

302K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 302K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Albany, CA vs St. Louis, MO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Albany, CA	St. Louis, MO	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,674/mo	$1,195/mo	↓ $2,479less	67.5%
Transportation	$1,284/mo	$776/mo	↓ $508less	39.6%
Groceries	$715/mo	$606/mo	↓ $108less	15.2%
Healthcare	$435/mo	$336/mo	↓ $99.09less	22.8%
Other	$1,116/mo	$1,026/mo	↓ $89.43less	8.0%
All Utilities	$276/mo	$342/mo	↑ $65.75more	23.8%

Housing

↓ 67.5%

Albany, CA

$3,674

St. Louis, MO

$1,195

Difference

$2,479

less

Transportation

↓ 39.6%

Albany, CA

$1,284

St. Louis, MO

$776

Difference

$508

less

Groceries

↓ 15.2%

Albany, CA

$715

St. Louis, MO

$606

Difference

$108

less

Healthcare

↓ 22.8%

Albany, CA

$435

St. Louis, MO

$336

Difference

$99.09

less

Other

↓ 8.0%

Albany, CA

$1,116

St. Louis, MO

$1,026

Difference

$89.43

less

All Utilities

↑ 23.8%

Albany, CA

$276

St. Louis, MO

$342

Difference

$65.75

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Earnings Tax$1,500/yr (1.0%)

Albany, CA has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,240

To$910

↓ $1,330

1 Bed

From$2,500

To$950

↓ $1,550

2 Bed

From$3,050

To$1,160

↓ $1,890

3 Bed

From$3,900

To$1,490

↓ $2,410

Albany, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,500–$2,500/mo

St. Louis, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $800–$1,480/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Albany, CA

$4,282

Monthly in St. Louis, MO

$3,218

Difference

Home Values

Albany

St. Louis

$1.18M

Median Value

$145K

↑ +0.5%

YoY Change

↓ -0.8%

↑ +11.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +10.9%

$1.18M

Price Range

$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 88% less expensive than Albany

Calculate payment - Albany Calculate payment - St. Louis

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.7K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$225

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.8%

Rate difference

Albany, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

St. Louis, MO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Missouri State Tax

Effective: 5.3%

$7.9K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$44.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,755/month

$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Albany, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

St. Louis, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.0%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Albany

St. Louis

49 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

53%

Good Air Days

38%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

99 High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

Before moving from Albany, CA to St. Louis, MO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in St. Louis, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Albany, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Albany to St. Louis moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to St. Louis, MO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Albany, CA vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Albany, CA and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 43.4% lower than Albany, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Albany, CA, the model estimates $111,380 in St. Louis, MO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Albany, CA and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,050/month in Albany, CA and $1,160/month in St. Louis, MO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between California and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com