Moving to Maine from Missouri

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Missouri to Maine? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Missouri to Maine, you would find that Maine is 20.6% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $88,048 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Missouri and Maine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $88,048

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 20.6% more

Groceries

pay 8.1% more

Transportation

pay 9.7% less

Housing

pay 20.8% more

Childcare

pay 70.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 20.4% more

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

The numbers behind daily life in Maine compared to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
ME
1105

Maine performs significantly 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

MO
8.9%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
ME
33.2%

Maine performs significantly 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

MO
$215,600
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
ME
$1,084

Missouri generally does better on what about housing?, though Maine leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
ME
24 min

Missouri generally does better on infrastructure, though Maine leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
ME
3.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
ME
$54,958

Maine generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
ME
25%

Maine performs significantly 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Augusta Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1107 mm)
77° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia Augusta
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Columbia Augusta
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Maine than Missouri?

On average Maine is around 17% pricier than Missouri, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Budget about $22,012 for 3 months in Maine (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Maine safe?

Maine performs significantly better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Missouri?

Maine performs significantly better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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