St. Louis vs Vienna
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
St. Louis
Vienna
The Verdict
Vienna is 2.3% less expensive than St. Louis overall. A household earning $75,000 in St. Louis would need approximately $73,333 in Vienna to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in St. Louis has the same purchasing power as $73,333 in Vienna.
Conversely, $75,000 in Vienna equals $76,705 in St. Louis.
Living in St. Louis vs Vienna
Housing Costs
St. Louis's housing index of 72 is lower Vienna's 105, translating to median home prices of $175,000 vs $395,000. The $220,000 difference in home prices means roughly $14,304 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,000/mo in St. Louis compared to $1,275/mo in Vienna, a monthly difference of $275.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 97 in St. Louis and 85 in Vienna. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $461/month in St. Louis vs $404/month in Vienna. Vienna offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $684/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 95 in St. Louis and 98 in Vienna. Monthly utility bills average approximately $380 in St. Louis vs $392 in Vienna. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 95 in St. Louis and 82 in Vienna. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. The 13-point gap reflects real differences in provider costs, insurance market competition, and regional healthcare infrastructure.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $45,782 in St. Louis and $48,000 in Vienna. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $50,869 and $54,545 respectively. Vienna residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,068/month to housing in St. Louis vs $1,120/month in Vienna. In St. Louis, median rent of $1,000/mo fits within this budget. In Vienna, median rent of $1,275/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 33 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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