CostIndexUSA

St. Louis, MO vs Tucson, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableMO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
AZ
Tucson
96.9
overall index
$1,475/mo rent

St. Louis is slightly cheaper than Tucson — 1.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in St. Louis, you would need $81,500 in Tucson. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+16.2%
St. Louis
79
Tucson
91.8
🛒 Groceries3.8%
St. Louis
100
Tucson
96.2
🚗 Transportation+1.2%
St. Louis
103.6
Tucson
104.8
🏥 Healthcare+1.2%
St. Louis
93.7
Tucson
94.8
Utilities+28.0%
St. Louis
69.9
Tucson
89.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Tucson, AZ
$81,500
$1,500 more needed in Tucson

Formula: salary × (96.9 ÷ 95.1) = salary × 1.0189. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

St. Louis, MO

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

Tucson, AZ

Median Home Price
$338,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,475
Housing Index
91.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.1×

Tucson has 16.2% higher housing costs compared to St. Louis.

Income & Job Market

St. Louis, MO

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

Tucson, AZ

Median Household Income
$69,800
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
542,629
Top Industries
MilitaryEducationHealthcareTourismManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

79% of income left after rent (median)

Tucson, AZ
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% 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.