CostIndexUSA

Fargo, ND vs St. Louis, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableND
Fargo
90.9
overall index
$1,100/mo rent
MO
St. Louis
95.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

Fargo is slightly cheaper than St. Louis — 4.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Fargo, you would need $83,700 in St. Louis. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing2.6%
Fargo
81.1
St. Louis
79
🛒 Groceries+4.5%
Fargo
95.7
St. Louis
100
🚗 Transportation+8.0%
Fargo
95.9
St. Louis
103.6
🏥 Healthcare+7.9%
Fargo
86.8
St. Louis
93.7
Utilities9.6%
Fargo
77.3
St. Louis
69.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in St. Louis, MO
$83,700
$3,700 more needed in St. Louis

Formula: salary × (95.1 ÷ 90.9) = salary × 1.0462. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Fargo, ND

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,100
Housing Index
81.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.7×

St. Louis, MO

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

Fargo has 2.6% lower housing costs compared to St. Louis.

Income & Job Market

Fargo, ND

Median Household Income
$72,900
Per Capita Income
$41,600
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
125,990
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceEducationTechnologyRetail

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).

Fargo, ND
5.5×income-to-rent ratio

82% 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.