CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs St. Louis, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

NC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
More AffordableMO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

St. Louis is slightly cheaper than Asheville — 1.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Asheville, you would need $78,800 in St. Louis. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing15.4%
Asheville
93.4
St. Louis
79
🛒 Groceries+3.5%
Asheville
96.6
St. Louis
100
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Asheville
103.1
St. Louis
103.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Asheville
93.3
St. Louis
93.7
Utilities21.1%
Asheville
88.6
St. Louis
69.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

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

Formula: salary × (95.1 ÷ 96.5) = salary × 0.9855. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Asheville, NC

Median Home Price
$413,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
93.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.7×

St. Louis, MO

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

Asheville has 15.4% lower housing costs compared to St. Louis.

Income & Job Market

Asheville, NC

Median Household Income
$67,800
Per Capita Income
$38,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
92,452
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareTechnologyArtsManufacturing

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).

Asheville, NC
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% 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.