Nags Head, NC vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 0.3% lower than Nags Head, NC.

Nags Head, NC · modeled 2BR rent
$1,270 / 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 Nags Head, NC 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: $64.28/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,771 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Nags Head, NC uses Virginia Beach, VA. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 0.3%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$64.28
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$771
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.

Nags Head, NC

Population:3K
Cost Index:
87.2
100 = national average
Typical Home:$700K

St. Louis, MO

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

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Nags Head, NC

The Tar Heel State

3K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 3K 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: Nags Head, NC 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
↓ 10.0%
Nags Head, NC
$2,346
St. Louis, MO
$2,111
Difference
$235
less
Transportation
↑ 11.8%
Nags Head, NC
$1,227
St. Louis, MO
$1,371
Difference
$145
more
Other
↑ 8.0%
Nags Head, NC
$1,679
St. Louis, MO
$1,813
Difference
$134
more
Groceries
↑ 7.5%
Nags Head, NC
$996
St. Louis, MO
$1,071
Difference
$75.00
more
Healthcare
↓ 9.4%
Nags Head, NC
$656
St. Louis, MO
$594
Difference
$61.98
less
All Utilities
↑ 1.4%
Nags Head, NC
$596
St. Louis, MO
$604
Difference
$8.45
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Nags Head, NC 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$990
To$910
↓ $80.00
1 Bed
From$1,150
To$950
↓ $200
2 Bed
From$1,270
To$1,160
↓ $110
3 Bed
From$1,690
To$1,490
↓ $200
Nags Head, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,150–$1,150/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 Nags Head, NC
$7,564
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$64.28
Difference

Home Values

Nags Head
St. Louis
$700K
Median Value
$145K
↓ -0.1%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↑ +49.6%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$700K
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 79% less expensive than Nags Head

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $804
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$67.00
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.5%
Rate difference

Nags Head, NC

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
North Carolina State Tax
Effective: 4.8%
$7.1K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.4%
$44.1K
Take-Home Pay
$8,822/month
$105.9K

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

Nags Head, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%
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

Nags Head
St. Louis
36 Good
Air Quality
54 Moderate
80.3%
Good Air Days
38%
58 Low
Climate Risk
99 High
None
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
17 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
17 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Nags Head, NC 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 Nags Head, NC. 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 Nags Head 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: Nags Head, NC vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Nags Head, NC and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 0.3% lower than Nags Head, NC. 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 Nags Head, NC, the model estimates $150,771 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 Nags Head, NC and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,270/month in Nags Head, NC 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 North Carolina and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

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