CostIndexUSA

Panama City, FL vs St. Louis, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

FL
Panama City
97.3
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
More AffordableMO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

St. Louis is slightly cheaper than Panama City — 2.3% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Panama City, you would need $78,200 in St. Louis. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing18.0%
Panama City
96.4
St. Louis
79
🛒 Groceries+4.0%
Panama City
96.2
St. Louis
100
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Panama City
103.8
St. Louis
103.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Panama City
93.9
St. Louis
93.7
Utilities20.7%
Panama City
88.1
St. Louis
69.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Panama City to see what you'd need to earn in St. Louis to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in St. Louis, MO
$78,200
$1,800 less needed in St. Louis

Formula: salary × (95.1 ÷ 97.3) = salary × 0.9774. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Panama City, FL

Median Home Price
$337,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
96.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.5×

St. Louis, MO

Median Home Price
$262,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
79
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.6×

Panama City has 18.0% lower housing costs compared to St. Louis.

Income & Job Market

Panama City, FL

Median Household Income
$69,700
Per Capita Income
$39,700
Unemployment Rate
3%
Population
36,877
Top Industries
MilitaryTourismHealthcareManufacturingRetail

St. Louis, MO

Median Household Income
$78,200
Per Capita Income
$44,600
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
319,294
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceManufacturingTechnologyEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Panama City, FL
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

St. Louis, MO
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.