Crystal City, MO vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 9.3% higher than Crystal City, MO.

Crystal City, MO · modeled 2BR rent
$1,070 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Crystal City, MO 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $817/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,805 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Crystal City, MO uses St. Louis, MO. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 9.3%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$817
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$9.8K
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.

Crystal City, MO

Population:5K
Cost Index:
79.6
100 = national average
Typical Home:$219K

St. Louis, MO

Population:302K
Cost Index:
87.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$145K

Planning the move to St. Louis?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Crystal City, MO

The Show-Me State

5K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 5K 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: Crystal City, MO 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.

Housing
↑ 21.5%
Crystal City, MO
$1,911
St. Louis, MO
$2,321
Difference
$410
more
Other
↑ 9.3%
Crystal City, MO
$1,823
St. Louis, MO
$1,993
Difference
$170
more
Transportation
↑ 9.3%
Crystal City, MO
$1,379
St. Louis, MO
$1,508
Difference
$128
more
Groceries
↑ 4.6%
Crystal City, MO
$1,126
St. Louis, MO
$1,177
Difference
$51.28
more
All Utilities
↑ 4.6%
Crystal City, MO
$635
St. Louis, MO
$664
Difference
$28.93
more
Healthcare
↑ 4.6%
Crystal City, MO
$625
St. Louis, MO
$653
Difference
$28.45
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Crystal City, MO 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$840
To$910
↑ $70.00
1 Bed
From$870
To$950
↑ $80.00
2 Bed
From$1,070
To$1,160
↑ $90.00
3 Bed
From$1,380
To$1,490
↑ $110
Crystal City, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $870–$870/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 Crystal City, MO
$8,317
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$817
Difference

Home Values

Crystal City
St. Louis
$219K
Median Value
$145K
↑ +4.8%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↑ +40.9%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$219K
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 34% less expensive than Crystal City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
→ $0
Same taxes
Monthly Difference
$0
Same take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.0%
Rate difference

Crystal City, 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

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

Crystal City, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%
Property Tax:1.0%

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

Crystal City
St. Louis
54 Moderate
Air Quality
54 Moderate
38%
Good Air Days
38%
99 High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌡🫨
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+3.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
39 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+3.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
39 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Crystal City, MO to St. Louis, MO

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in St. Louis, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Crystal City, MO. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Crystal City 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: Crystal City, MO vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Crystal City, MO and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 9.3% higher than Crystal City, MO. 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 Crystal City, MO, the model estimates $159,805 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 Crystal City, MO and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,070/month in Crystal City, MO 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.

Similar cost to St. Louis, MO

Other cities in a similar price range

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison