Kansas City, MO vs St. Louis, MO
A 2-bedroom in St. Louis costs $140 less per month than Kansas City ($1,218 vs $1,358). Median income is $81,927 in Kansas City and $78,225 in St. Louis. That's a difference of $1,680 per year in housing costs.
Kansas City, Missouri 2-bedroom FMR runs $140 above St. Louis, Missouri — a narrow 11-percent gap. Counties this close on FMR are effectively the same rental tier; specific neighborhood and listing-level differences will swamp the county-level FMR gap.
For households weighing a move between the two counties, the FMR gap is one input among several. Cost-of-living adjustments cover housing well but undercount the income-side picture; local wages can offset rent differences, particularly in higher-paying coastal metros where the higher rent comes with higher pay.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Studio FMR | $1,095 | $955 |
| 1BR FMR | $1,197 | $995 |
| 2BR FMR | $1,358 | $1,218 |
| 3BR FMR | $1,769 | $1,568 |
| 4BR FMR | $2,103 | $1,812 |
| Median Income | $81,927 | $78,225 |
| Rent Burden | 19.9% | 18.7% |
| Actual Median Rent | $1,201 | $1,073 |
| Median Home Value | $265,400 | $232,100 |
| Population | 2.2M | 2.8M |
| Renter % | 34.4% | 29.9% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.2% | 8.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 10% | 10.3% |
| YoY Change | +7.9% | +0.7% |
| Min Wage | $13.75/hr | $13.75/hr |
Income Required to Afford a 2-Bedroom
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis, MO is more affordable with a 2BR FMR of $1,218/mo, which is $140 less than Kansas City at $1,358/mo. However, when considering local incomes, Kansas City has a rent burden of 19.9% vs 18.7% in St. Louis.
A 2-bedroom in Kansas City, MO costs $1,358/mo at Fair Market Rent, while in St. Louis, MO it's $1,218/mo, a difference of $140/mo or $1,680/year.
To afford a 2BR without spending more than 30% of income on rent: Kansas City requires $54,320/year ($26/hr). St. Louis requires $48,720/year ($23/hr).
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026.