Atlanta vs St. Louis Cost of Living
St. Louis is approximately 10.8% cheaper than Atlanta. See salary equivalence, taxes, and side-by-side breakdown.
Atlanta, GA
St. Louis, MO
| Salary in Atlanta | Equivalent in St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $44,600 | -$5,400 (-10.8%) |
| $75,000 | $66,900 | -$8,100 (-10.8%) |
| $100,000 | $89,200 | -$10,800 (-10.8%) |
| $150,000 | $133,800 | -$16,200 (-10.8%) |
| $200,000 | $178,400 | -$21,600 (-10.8%) |
Atlanta is roughly 11% more expensive overall, and housing is doing almost all of the work: a one-bedroom runs $1,550 in Atlanta against $950 in St. Louis.
Housing does most of the damage
Almost the entire gap between two cities is shelter. Tradable goods cost roughly the same everywhere; land does not. A one-bedroom runs about $1,550 a month in Atlanta and $950 in St. Louis — $600 a month apart, or $7,200 a year.
Buying sharpens the same story. Median home prices sit near $410,000 in Atlanta against $240,000 in St. Louis — at 20% down, about $34,000 apart in cash up front, before property tax rates in Georgia and Missouri enter the picture.
Taxes the index leaves out
There is a city-level tax to account for as well: St. Louis charges about 1.00% local income tax, while Atlanta charges none. On $100,000 that is roughly $1,000 a year, deducted before you ever see it and easy to miss when comparing two offers.
Work, weather, and what else is different
Atlanta is a major metro of about 6.3M and growing fast; St. Louis is a large metro of about 2.8M and roughly flat.
These labor markets barely overlap. Atlanta is built around logistics/aviation, corporate headquarters, film/TV production (Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot), St. Louis around healthcare, financial services, biotech (BJC HealthCare, Boeing). Your experience may not read as relevant on the other end — secure an offer before you move.
The part spreadsheets leave out. Atlanta: Humid subtropical: January highs near 52°F/lows 34°F, July highs near 89°F/lows 71°F, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms. St. Louis: Continental climate with cold winters near 22°F lows and hot humid summers with July highs near 90°F.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, anchoring the metro's logistics economy; Georgia's flat state income tax (5.39% in 2024, phasing toward 4.99%) applies with no added city tax. City of St. Louis levies a 1% earnings tax on residents and on nonresidents who work in the city, on top of Missouri state income tax.
Cost indexes derive from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; rent, home prices and local tax rates are compiled from market and municipal sources. How these are compiled and updated.
Related tools
Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — hourly and annual conversion. Mortgage calculator — what a home in either metro actually costs monthly. Guide: the true cost of relocating.