States › Michigan › St. Louis

Is St. Louis, MI expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 25 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,15634% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$55,184about $4,599/month · 37% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$119,20064% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 78% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards. Commutes are short, about 16.1 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $46,240 a year. That is $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Michigan cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Michigan. It is number 63 of 179 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

St. Louis
$1,156
Shields
$1,041
Byron Center
$1,678
Fair Plain
$1,314
Walled Lake
$2,148
Iron Mountain
$842
Hastings
$824

How much do households earn in St. Louis?

Under $25k
22.0%
$25k–50k
32.5%
$50k–100k
30.6%
$100k–150k
10.3%
$150k+
2.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 12.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in St. Louis

SizeSt. LouisU.S. average
1 bedroom$951$1,324
2 bedrooms$927$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,121$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is St. Louis overall?

Everyday prices in Michigan overall are 4% below the U.S. average (index 96.2, U.S. = 100).

Housing
82
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
100
Other services
101
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for St. Louis, so the Michigan figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in St. Louis

🏛️ Property tax$1,642a year · 1.38% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$168a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in St. Louis

Commute to work16.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree6.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home67.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line13.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Louis?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $329 a month less than renting.

Renting
$1,156
Owning
$827

Owning assumes a typical $119,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $11,920 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in St. Louis, MI?

Renting in St. Louis costs a median of about $1,156 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Michigan median is $1,314.

How much do I need to make to live in St. Louis?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $46,240 a year, or $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is St. Louis cheap or expensive?

St. Louis is rated OK: rent takes 25.1% of the typical household income of $55,184. It ranks 63rd cheapest of 179 Michigan cities we track.

How much are property taxes in St. Louis?

The median homeowner in St. Louis pays $1,642 a year in property taxes, about 1.38% of the median home value.

Is St. Louis more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Michigan are 4% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in St. Louis?

The median home value in St. Louis is $119,200, about 2.2 times the typical yearly household income.

7,367 people live in St. Louis. Numbers are typical (middle) values.