CostIndexUSA

Albany, NY vs St. Louis, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

NY
Albany
99.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
More AffordableMO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

St. Louis is slightly cheaper than Albany — 4.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Albany, you would need $76,400 in St. Louis. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing23.0%
Albany
102.6
St. Louis
79
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Albany
99.7
St. Louis
100
🚗 Transportation+1.0%
Albany
102.6
St. Louis
103.6
🏥 Healthcare+0.9%
Albany
92.9
St. Louis
93.7
Utilities47.8%
Albany
134
St. Louis
69.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in St. Louis, MO
$76,400
$3,600 less needed in St. Louis

Formula: salary × (95.1 ÷ 99.6) = salary × 0.9548. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albany, NY

Median Home Price
$350,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
102.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

St. Louis, MO

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

Albany has 23.0% lower housing costs compared to St. Louis.

Income & Job Market

Albany, NY

Median Household Income
$82,400
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
98,111
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationFinanceTechnology

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).

Albany, NY
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% 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.