River Rouge, MI vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 9.7% higher than River Rouge, MI.

River Rouge, MI · modeled 2BR rent
$1,060 / 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 River Rouge, MI 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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Estimated extra cost: $668/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $158,017 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: River Rouge, MI uses Detroit, MI. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 9.7%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$668
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$8.0K
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.

River Rouge, MI

Population:7K
Cost Index:
79.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$83K

St. Louis, MO

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

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River Rouge, MI

The Great Lakes State

7K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 7K 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: River Rouge, MI 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
↑ 47.9%
River Rouge, MI
$1,541
St. Louis, MO
$2,279
Difference
$738
more
Transportation
↓ 14.2%
River Rouge, MI
$1,725
St. Louis, MO
$1,481
Difference
$244
less
Other
↑ 6.5%
River Rouge, MI
$1,839
St. Louis, MO
$1,958
Difference
$119
more
Groceries
↑ 5.3%
River Rouge, MI
$1,098
St. Louis, MO
$1,156
Difference
$58.36
more
Healthcare
↓ 1.6%
River Rouge, MI
$652
St. Louis, MO
$642
Difference
$10.62
less
All Utilities
↑ 1.2%
River Rouge, MI
$645
St. Louis, MO
$652
Difference
$7.64
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

River Rouge, MI 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$750
To$910
↑ $160
1 Bed
From$830
To$950
↑ $120
2 Bed
From$1,060
To$1,160
↑ $100
3 Bed
From$1,300
To$1,490
↑ $190
River Rouge, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $830–$830/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 River Rouge, MI
$8,168
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$668
Difference

Home Values

River Rouge
St. Louis
$83K
Median Value
$145K
↑ +3.7%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↑ +65.2%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$83K
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 73% more expensive than River Rouge

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $1.6K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$130
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.0%
Rate difference

River Rouge, MI

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Michigan State Tax
Effective: 4.3%
$6.4K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 28.9%
$43.4K
Take-Home Pay
$8,884/month
$106.6K

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

River Rouge, MI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%
Property Tax:1.4%

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

River Rouge
St. Louis
55 Moderate
Air Quality
54 Moderate
32.8%
Good Air Days
38%
99 High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+3.1°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
10 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+3.1°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
10 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from River Rouge, MI 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 River Rouge, MI. 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 River Rouge 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: River Rouge, MI vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for River Rouge, MI and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 9.7% higher than River Rouge, MI. 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 River Rouge, MI, the model estimates $158,017 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 River Rouge, MI and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,060/month in River Rouge, MI 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 Michigan and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

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