Magnolia, AR vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 18.1% higher than Magnolia, AR.

Magnolia, AR · modeled 2BR rent
$900 / 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 Magnolia, AR 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

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Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,322/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $165,867 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Magnolia, AR uses Garland, TX. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 18.1%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$1,322
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$15.9K
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.

Magnolia, AR

Population:11K
Cost Index:
73.6
100 = national average
Typical Home:$136K

St. Louis, MO

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

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Magnolia, AR

The Natural State

11K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Arkansas, this city has a population of 11K 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: Magnolia, AR 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
↑ 27.7%
Magnolia, AR
$1,655
St. Louis, MO
$2,114
Difference
$459
more
Housing
↑ 19.7%
Magnolia, AR
$2,056
St. Louis, MO
$2,462
Difference
$406
more
Transportation
↑ 23.4%
Magnolia, AR
$1,296
St. Louis, MO
$1,600
Difference
$303
more
Groceries
↑ 11.3%
Magnolia, AR
$1,123
St. Louis, MO
$1,249
Difference
$126
more
All Utilities
↑ 9.2%
Magnolia, AR
$645
St. Louis, MO
$705
Difference
$59.34
more
Healthcare
↓ 4.4%
Magnolia, AR
$724
St. Louis, MO
$693
Difference
$31.59
less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Magnolia, AR 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$640
To$910
↑ $270
1 Bed
From$690
To$950
↑ $260
2 Bed
From$900
To$1,160
↑ $260
3 Bed
From$1,190
To$1,490
↑ $300
Magnolia, ARZIP-level data

1BR range: $690–$690/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 Magnolia, AR
$8,822
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$1,322
Difference

Home Values

Magnolia
St. Louis
$136K
Median Value
$145K
↓ -5.5%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↓ -2.9%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$136K
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 6% more expensive than Magnolia

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $1.1K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$91.04
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.7%
Rate difference

Magnolia, AR

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Arkansas State Tax
Effective: 6.0%
$9.0K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.7%
$46.0K
Take-Home Pay
$8,664/month
$104.0K

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

Magnolia, AR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

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

Magnolia
St. Louis
55 Moderate
Air Quality
54 Moderate
35.2%
Good Air Days
38%
100 Very High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+2.7°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
84 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+2.7°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
84 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Magnolia, AR 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 Magnolia, AR. 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 Magnolia 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: Magnolia, AR vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Magnolia, AR and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 18.1% higher than Magnolia, AR. 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 Magnolia, AR, the model estimates $165,867 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 Magnolia, AR and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $900/month in Magnolia, AR 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 Arkansas and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

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