Moving to Missouri from Washington

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Washington to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 14.2% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $59,823 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $59,823

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 14.1% less

Groceries

pay 7.8% less

Transportation

pay 1.5% more

Housing

pay 19.8% less

Childcare

pay 32.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.4% 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

The numbers behind daily life in Missouri compared to Washington.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
349
MO
453
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
2819
MO
2070

Washington generally does better on safety, though Missouri leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

WA
6.1%
MO
8.9%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
MO
37.5%

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

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

WA
$519,800
MO
$215,600
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WA
$1,682
MO
$996

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
MO
88.3%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WA
27 min
MO
24 min

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WA
5.3%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
MO
$56,344

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

WA
79.2 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WA
26%
MO
22%

Washington 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.

OlympiaRain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60°/41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsOlympiaColumbia
Jan–Mar50°/34°F (10°/1°C)47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun65°/43°F (18°/6°C)76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep76°/49°F (24°/10°C)86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec51°/36°F (11°/2°C)55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
MonthOlympiaColumbia
Jan46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington?

On average Missouri is about 20% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Budget about $14,956 for 3 months in Missouri (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Missouri safe?

Washington generally does better on safety, though Missouri leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Washington?

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

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

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.

Share this