Cost of living index

St. Joseph, MO

86.4 / 100

Living in St. Joseph, MO is 13.6% cheaper than the US average — the #362 of 387 highest nationally.

Median rent: $885/mo

Median home value: $162,100

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider St. Joseph, MO metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Winter
40° / 20°F
(4° / -7°C)
2.9 in precip
Spring
66° / 42°F
(19° / 6°C)
10.6 in precip
Summer
86° / 65°F
(30° / 18°C)
13.3 in precip
Fall
67° / 43°F
(19° / 6°C)
7.9 in precip

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from ST JOSEPH ROSECRANS AP, via NOAA.

The St. Joseph, MO metro area has an overall price level of 86.4 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 13.6% lower than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 55.4 it is 44.6% below the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Overall#362 of 387
86.4
Goods#284 of 387
94.2
Housing rents#355 of 387
55.4
Utilities#207 of 387
88.3
Other services#364 of 387
93.1

St. Joseph, MO is moved down the most by housing rents, at 55.4 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is goods.

Browse Missouri →See the cheapest and most expensive US metros →

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

Is St. Joseph, MO an expensive place to live?

St. Joseph, MO has an overall cost-of-living index of 86.4, where 100 is the US average. That makes it about 13.6% cheaper than the country as a whole.

Is housing expensive in St. Joseph, MO?

Housing rents in St. Joseph, MO score 55.4 against a US average of 100 — roughly 44.6% below average. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

How does St. Joseph, MO compare to the US average cost of living?

Overall prices in St. Joseph, MO sit at 86.4 versus 100 for the US average, with housing at 55.4. Figures come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2024.