Horse Cave, KY vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 15.1% higher than Horse Cave, KY.

Horse Cave, KY · modeled 2BR rent
$950 / 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 Horse Cave, KY 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: $1,066/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $162,789 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Horse Cave, KY uses Louisville, KY. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 15.1%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$1,066
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$12.8K
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.

Horse Cave, KY

Population:2K
Cost Index:
75.6
100 = national average
Typical Home:$167K

St. Louis, MO

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

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Horse Cave, KY

The Bluegrass State

2K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 2K 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: Horse Cave, KY 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.

Other
↑ 20.3%
Horse Cave, KY
$1,707
St. Louis, MO
$2,053
Difference
$346
more
Housing
↑ 16.1%
Horse Cave, KY
$2,058
St. Louis, MO
$2,390
Difference
$332
more
Transportation
↑ 10.3%
Horse Cave, KY
$1,407
St. Louis, MO
$1,553
Difference
$146
more
All Utilities
↑ 25.8%
Horse Cave, KY
$544
St. Louis, MO
$684
Difference
$140
more
Groceries
↑ 8.0%
Horse Cave, KY
$1,123
St. Louis, MO
$1,213
Difference
$89.43
more
Healthcare
↑ 1.9%
Horse Cave, KY
$660
St. Louis, MO
$673
Difference
$12.57
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Horse Cave, KY 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$680
To$910
↑ $230
1 Bed
From$810
To$950
↑ $140
2 Bed
From$950
To$1,160
↑ $210
3 Bed
From$1,180
To$1,490
↑ $310
Horse Cave, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $810–$810/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 Horse Cave, KY
$8,566
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$1,066
Difference

Home Values

Horse Cave
St. Louis
$167K
Median Value
$145K
↑ +7.4%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↑ +53.7%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$167K
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 13% less expensive than Horse Cave

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $429
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$35.75
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.3%
Rate difference

Horse Cave, KY

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Kentucky State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.7%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,791/month
$105.5K

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

Horse Cave, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

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

Horse Cave
St. Louis
50 Good
Air Quality
54 Moderate
50.8%
Good Air Days
38%
98 High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Horse Cave, KY 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 Horse Cave, KY. 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 Horse Cave 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: Horse Cave, KY vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Horse Cave, KY and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 15.1% higher than Horse Cave, KY. 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 Horse Cave, KY, the model estimates $162,789 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 Horse Cave, KY and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $950/month in Horse Cave, KY 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 Kentucky and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

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