Moving to Missouri from Massachusetts

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Massachusetts to Missouri — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Massachusetts to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 16.7% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $54,634 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Massachusetts to Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $54,634

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 16.2% less

Groceries

pay 11.1% less

Transportation

pay 7.3% more

Housing

pay 27.9% less

Childcare

pay 38.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 25.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
308
MO
453
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
1077
MO
2070

Massachusetts performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MA
2.6%
MO
8.9%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
MO
37.5%

Massachusetts performs better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MA
$525,800
MO
$215,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MA
$1,687
MO
$996

Missouri performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
MO
88.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MA
29 min
MO
24 min

Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
MO
$56,344

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MA
32%
MO
22%

Massachusetts performs better than Missouri across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Columbia
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
Month Boston Columbia
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Missouri than Massachusetts?

Yes — Missouri is on average about 27% cheaper than Massachusetts. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,658 in Missouri on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Missouri safe?

Massachusetts performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Massachusetts?

Massachusetts performs better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Missouri compared to Massachusetts?

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

Share this