Moving to Missouri from Washington
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
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?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Washington generally does better on safety, though Missouri leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington performs better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Missouri performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) |
Data:
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.
