Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would need to be about $26,565 in St. Louis city, MO, or $23,435 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Fairfax County, VA vs St. Louis city, MO: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
St. Louis city, MO is cheaper than Fairfax County, VA.
Moving to St. Louis city, MO is estimated to save $36,926 per year.
Cheaper County
St. Louis city, MOSave about $36,926 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Fairfax County, VA is about $26,565 in St. Louis city, MO.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $520 per year. Housing saves $16,631 per year.
Housing: $16,631 lower in St. Louis city, MO
Taxes: $12,199 lower in St. Louis city, MO
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $520 higher in St. Louis city, MO
Food: $277 lower in St. Louis city, MO
Transport: $3,091 lower in St. Louis city, MO
Fairfax County, VA→St. Louis city, MO
Equivalent salary in St. Louis city, MO
$26,565
-46.87% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Fairfax County, VA: $178,683
Median Income in St. Louis city, MO: $75,720
Living Index in Fairfax County, VA 44.09%
Living Index in St. Louis city, MO 55.28%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Fairfax County, VA to St. Louis city, MO.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Fairfax County, VA to St. Louis city, MO is estimated to save $36,926 per year. A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $26,565 in St. Louis city, MO. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -46.87% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $16,631 per year lower (-61.62%); Taxes is $12,199 per year lower (-61.59%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Fairfax County, VA and St. Louis city, MO, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.1% of median family income in Fairfax County, VA and 55.3% in St. Louis city, MO. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $16,631 per year lower in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether St. Louis city, MO changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $277 per year lower in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in St. Louis city, MO can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $3,091 per year lower in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around St. Louis city, MO.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $520 per year higher in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if St. Louis city, MO changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $5,249 per year lower in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in St. Louis city, MO help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Fairfax County, VA and St. Louis city, MO, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in St. Louis city, MO, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $12,199 per year lower in St. Louis city, MO than in Fairfax County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in St. Louis city, MO matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to St. Louis city, MO.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to St. Louis city, MO
Annual Increase:
$520 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to St. Louis city, MO.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to St. Louis city, MO
Annual Savings:
$16,631 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to St. Louis city, MO.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -62% lower | |
| Food | -5% lower | |
| Transport | -25% lower | |
| Healthcare | 12% higher | |
| Other Costs | -53% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -62% lower |
In St. Louis city, MO, modeled annual costs are $41,860 compared with $78,786 in Fairfax County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in St. Louis city, MO. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case St. Louis city, MO and Fairfax County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
