Scotts Valley, CA vs St. Louis, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 52.1% lower than Scotts Valley, CA.

Scotts Valley, CA · modeled 2BR rent
$4,890 / 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 Scotts Valley, CA 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 savings: $3,621/month in St. Louis, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $106,542 in St. Louis, MO

Regional cost estimates: Scotts Valley, CA uses San Jose, CA. St. Louis, MO uses St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 52.1%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$3,621
Savings
Annual Impact
$43.5K
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.

Scotts Valley, CA

Population:12K
Cost Index:
181.6
100 = national average
Typical Home:$1.26M

St. Louis, MO

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

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Scotts Valley, CA

The Golden State

12K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 12K 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: Scotts Valley, CA 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
↓ 76.2%
Scotts Valley, CA
$4,547
St. Louis, MO
$1,082
Difference
$3,464
less
Healthcare
↓ 21.6%
Scotts Valley, CA
$388
St. Louis, MO
$305
Difference
$83.71
less
Groceries
↓ 11.6%
Scotts Valley, CA
$621
St. Louis, MO
$549
Difference
$71.71
less
All Utilities
↑ 21.3%
Scotts Valley, CA
$255
St. Louis, MO
$310
Difference
$54.39
more
Transportation
↓ 4.4%
Scotts Valley, CA
$735
St. Louis, MO
$703
Difference
$32.05
less
Other
↓ 2.5%
Scotts Valley, CA
$954
St. Louis, MO
$930
Difference
$23.98
less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Scotts Valley, CA 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$3,690
To$910
↓ $2,780
1 Bed
From$3,825
To$950
↓ $2,875
2 Bed
From$4,890
To$1,160
↓ $3,730
3 Bed
From$6,240
To$1,490
↓ $4,750
Scotts Valley, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,560–$4,090/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 Scotts Valley, CA
$3,879
Monthly in St. Louis, MO
$3,621
Difference

Home Values

Scotts Valley
St. Louis
$1.26M
Median Value
$145K
↑ +1.9%
YoY Change
↓ -0.8%
↑ +26.9%
5-Year Change
↑ +10.9%
$1.21M - $1.30M
Price Range
$38K - $302K

Homes in St. Louis are 88% less expensive than Scotts Valley

Calculate payment - Scotts ValleyCalculate payment - St. Louis

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $2.7K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$225
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.8%
Rate difference

Scotts Valley, CA

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
California State Tax
Effective: 7.1%
$10.6K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 31.8%
$47.6K
Take-Home Pay
$8,530/month
$102.4K

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

Scotts Valley, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%
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

Scotts Valley
St. Louis
47 Good
Air Quality
54 Moderate
55.4%
Good Air Days
38%
100 Very High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌅🌡
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+2.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
11 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+2.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
11 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Scotts Valley, CA 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 Scotts Valley, CA. 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 Scotts Valley 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: Scotts Valley, CA vs St. Louis, MO

How do the cost estimates for Scotts Valley, CA and St. Louis, MO compare?

St. Louis, MO has a modeled overall cost index 52.1% lower than Scotts Valley, CA. 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 Scotts Valley, CA, the model estimates $106,542 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 Scotts Valley, CA and St. Louis, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $4,890/month in Scotts Valley, CA 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 California and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

Cities cheaper than Scotts Valley, CA on a $150.0K salary

1.Indianapolis, IN
Save $3,606/mo
2.Pittsburgh, PA
Save $3,512/mo
3.San Antonio, TX
Save $3,469/mo
4.Columbus, OH
Save $3,441/mo
5.Kansas City, MO
Save $3,440/mo

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