| Index | Cape Girardeau | Missouri | National |
| Cost of living | 93 | 90 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 96 | 100 |
| Health care | 96 | 97 | 100 |
| Housing | 83 | 77 | 100 |
| Transportation | 99 | 96 | 100 |
| Utilities | 98 | 95 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 95 | 95 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 96 | 95 | 100 |
The cost of living in Cape Girardeau affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Cape Girardeau is 93, which is 7% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
The cost of living in Cape Girardeau aligns closely with the national average when compared to other cities across the nation. Everyday essentials such as groceries, household expenses, health care and utility bills are priced at a level consistent with the average in similar urban areas. Cape Girardeau residents can anticipate that their daily expenses won't be significantly higher than those in an average city, ensuring that the cost of living remains manageable.
Is Cape Girardeau affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Cape Girardeau, for instance, where the median home price falls 15.2% lower than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 21.7% lower than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Cape Girardeau flaunting a median household income of $69,279, 14.8% lower than the national norm.
Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Cape Girardeau, the housing index is 17.2% lower than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.
Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Cape Girardeau, the utilities index registers 2.5% lower than the national average.
The Cape Girardeau cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $102,587 | $8,549 | $2,394 | $3,078 |
| Renters | $40,764 | $3,397 | $951 | $1,223 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Missouri | 4.225% | 10.85% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Missouri | 2% | 4.95% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Lambert, MO | 27 | 97 | 3.0% |
| Allenville, MO | 104 | 73 | 27.0% |
| Mill Creek, IL | 31 | 74 | 26.2% |
| Commerce, MO | 115 | 77 | 23.0% |
| Thebes, IL | 571 | 77 | 22.7% |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | 41,479 | 93 | 7.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Spanish Fork, UT | 41,496 | 118 | 17.6% |
| Holyoke, MA | 41,439 | 111 | 10.8% |
| Charlottetown, PE | 41,537 | n/a | |
| The Acreage, FL | 41,413 | 130 | 29.5% |
| Streamwood, IL | 41,397 | 110 | 10.5% |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | 41,479 | 93 | 7.2% |
Here are the best places to live in Missouri
See the best places to live in Cape Girardeau
Safest Cities In The US
Safest States In The US