St. Louis is the best city since it has a lower cost of living, average unemployment rate, and lower crime count than ABQ. Meanwhile, Albuquerque offers a cheap cost of living but has a higher crime and unemployment rate than St. Louis.
Albuquerque is a year-round sunny city with distinct cultures and a diversified population. Albuquerque’s communities provide something for everyone, from the vibrant Downtown scene to the villages hidden in the Sandia Mountains’ foothills.
St. Louis is well-known for its baseball heritage as well as draft beer. The Missouri-Illinois state border runs directly through St. Louis. The world-famous Gateway Arch, which sits along the Mississippi River, has earned St. Louis the moniker “Gateway to the West.”
Albuquerque and St. Louis are among the cheapest to live in the United States. However, both cities are similar in terms of crime count as well.
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What are the Pros and Cons of St. Louis vs. Albuquerque?
Albuquerque has clean air, a friendly community, but it has a higher percentage of unemployment and crime. On the other hand, St. Louis boasts cheaper housing and living prices than ABQ, but it also has a high crime.
Living in St. Louis
Pros
- Inexpensive than Albuquerque
- Keeps you entertained
- Diverse community
- 3.7% unemployment rate
- Sports Town
Many people in the United States are looking for cities where they can live on a budget.
St. Louis is a perfect example of this. St. Louis receives an 88.7 on the living cost index, indicating that for $88,700, you might have a quality of living comparable to a $100,000 budget in an average municipality.
The cost of living in St. Louis isn’t as low as in Springfield, Missouri, but it is still inexpensive. As a result, St. Louis is one of the cheapest cities in America, given its size.
Housing is one of the most significant bargains, with the average home costing roughly 62.9% of the national median.
In St. Louis, you’ll find a little bit of everything. It’s simple to locate something you’ll appreciate among the city’s stunning architectural wonders.
There are many locations to walk and ride in the vicinity for outdoor sports. Even if you aren’t very interested in history, sightseeing is a terrific way to spend your time here.
St. Louis also has a fantastic nightlife scene that is worth mentioning. You’ll be able to discover at least one place that you’ll want to go to if you enjoy jazz, country, or even a little hip hop.
The Midwest has a majority-white population, making many individuals feel uneasy. According to studies, people who live in highly varied locations have better lifestyles and are happier in their communities.
The good news is that St. Louis is a remarkably diverse city with people from many different cultures living inside its borders.
If you’re a family looking to teach your children the value of tolerance, St. Louis is a fantastic place to start. With so many people living within city borders, your children get to engage in a wide range of cultures.
As of November 2021, St. Louis has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, similar to the national average. The city had a higher unemployment rate in the past and is now showing progress.
In St. Louis, several service businesses and manufacturing, trade, transportation, and tourism give many job options to its residents that suit a wide range of skill sets.
The average annual wage in the city is $65,000, with an average hourly rate of $18.57.
Hundreds of companies in St. Louis provide opportunities to put your skills and expertise to the test. The following are some of the top places to work in St. Louis: Centene, Schnucks, Cigna, and Anheuser-Busch.
The St. Louis Cardinals baseball team is one of Major League Baseball’s most successful organizations. Cardinal baseball is deeply in St. Louis culture. Despite only having two big sports teams, St. Louis is a fantastic location for sports fans.
When the Cardinals are in the playoffs, practically everyone gets engaged, whether or not they are baseball fans. Busch Stadium is a fantastic venue for baseball games.
The National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues are also in St. Louis (NHL). While hockey may be the second fiddle to some, the Blues are virtually as popular in the city.
Cons
- Crime rate
- Poverty rate
St. Louis has a crime rate of 1,927 per 100,000 residents, 226% more than the national average. St. Louis has a property crime rate of 6,194 per 100,000 persons.
Overall, the people of St. Louis have a one-in-thirteen probability of becoming a victim of crime.
While some may not consider St. Louis a safe city, there are still plenty of safe and comfortable places to call home.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department provides access to a crime map that shows crime data and where events occurred.
Saint Louis has a poverty rate of 18.6% of its population, more significant than the national average. The average poverty percentage in American cities is 10% to 13%.
Living in Albuquerque
Pros
- Craft beer
- Historical monument
- Friendly community and old town vibe
- Inexpensive living
- Cheap tax rates
- Albuquerque’s state income tax rate ranges from 1.7% to 4.9%, depending on your tax level. The national state income tax average is 4.6%.
- Albuquerque’s property tax rate is 0.96%, lower than the national average of 1.211%.
- Albuquerque’s sales tax rate is 7.875%, somewhat more than the national average of 7.3%.
- Cleaner air
Craft beer is one of the most fast-growing scenes in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
There are a variety of microbreweries in the region, each with its taste profile that will make even the most discerning beer connoisseur swoon.
Red Door Brewing Company, Tractor Brewing Company, and Marble Brewery are Albuquerque’s most fantastic breweries.
You may witness art by folks who lived in what is now Albuquerque at the Petroglyph National Monument. This monument is home to thousands of petroglyphs. Petroglyphs, or rock engravings, provide a powerful insight into what the forefathers saw.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the inflow of Spanish settlers had a significant detrimental impact on the Pueblo Indians’ capacity to perform their traditions.
Petroglyphs are there to demonstrate a culture’s values and facilitate specific types of communication.
ABQ does not fail to preserve its historical artifacts.
Albuquerque has all the services, entertainment, shopping, and leisure that a big metropolis would provide. Fortunately, it preserves the small-town atmosphere, making it a nice place to live, with no horrible traffic jams, noise pollution, or bad air quality.
Moving to a new city might be intimidating. Still, Albuquerque is tiny and friendly enough to make the transition more manageable, and its small-town antics make meeting new people simple.
Living in Albuquerque is 5% cheaper than the national average, allowing inhabitants to live comfortably.
Albuquerque residents also spend less on food, power, and transportation than the national average.
Furthermore, the average rent in this area is often cheaper than the national average.
Housing costs in Albuquerque are lower than the national average. It is somewhat less costly than the national average of $315,743, with a housing cost of $314,587.
Wherever you’re relocating from, the difference in tax rates might be huge if you’re moving from out of state. Albuquerque’s tax rates are generally low, and you’ll likely save money on taxes if you relocate from another city.
Albuquerque has cleaner air than other cities in the United States. When you take a deep breath in Albuquerque, you don’t have to worry about filthy particles or air pollution because the city has one of the country’s lowest rates of air pollution.
Cons
- Higher unemployment rate than St. Louis
- Less safe than St. Louis
Albuquerque has a higher unemployment rate of 4.3%, whereas the national average unemployment rate is only 3.7%. Albuquerque’s rate is higher than St. Louis’ unemployment rate of 3.7% in November 2021.
In ABQ, there are currently 29,118 fewer jobless persons.
Albuquerque’s total number of daily offenses is 1.76 times that of the state and 2.71 times that of the national average.
For property offenses, Albuquerque has a daily crime rate of 1.76 times higher than the state average and 2.56 times higher than the national average.
Albuquerque or St. Louis – Which is more affordable?
St. Louis is 10.8% more affordable than Albuquerque. ABQ has higher prices for food, groceries, housing, and utilities. However, health and transportation prices are higher in St. Louis.
| Living expenses | Albuquerque | St. Louis |
| Housing | 88.0% | 50.0% |
| Food & Groceries | 96.0% | 95.3% |
| Health | 81.1% | 88.7% |
| Utilities | 97.2% | 95.8% |
| Transportation | 89.4% | 98.5% |
Data is 100 = US National Average
>100 means more expensive than the national average
<100 means cheaper than the national average
Housing
Housing expenses in St. Louis are 43.2% less expensive than in Albuquerque. The median monthly rent in ABQ is now $1,041, with a median home price of $332,426 compared to St. Louis’ median house price of $252,269 and median monthly rent of only around $790.25.
Food & Groceries
St. Louis’ food and grocery prices are lower than in Albuquerque’s. The cost of 1L of milk in Toledo is only $0.78, compared to $0.83 in Albuquerque.
Health
Healthcare costs are 9.4% higher in St. Louis. A doctor’s visit in St. Louis may cost you $113.03. Meanwhile, a doctor’s visit in Albuquerque can only cost you $108.83.
Utilities
Utility cost is cheaper in St. Louis than in ABQ. An internet bill can cost about $80.46 in Albuquerque, whereas it only costs $58.35 in St. Louis.
Transportation
Transportation-related expenses in Albuquerque are less expensive than in St. Louis. A gallon of gas costs $2.58 in ABQ compared to St. Louis’ $2.62.
Is Albuquerque bigger than St. Louis?
St. Louis has a land area of only 65.99 mi², whereas ABQ has 188.9 mi². Thus, Albuquerque is more than twice the size of St. Louis. However, St. Louis’ economy is slightly better than ABQ’s and has a denser population.
Albuquerque covers an area of 188.9 mi². This city is less congested than St. Louis, with 942,000 people. The population of ABQ has been continuously increasing from 1% to 2% every year.
In comparison, St. Louis only has a geographical area of 65.99 mi², making Albuquerque more than twice bigger.
As of 2022, St. Louis has a population of 2,221,000. There has been a minimal increase in its population since 2018.
Compared to Albuquerque’s economy, St. Louis has a lower unemployment rate and cheaper cost of living. St. Louis’ unemployment rate is similar to the national average of 3.7%, while Albuquerque has a higher unemployment rate of 5.5%.
Therefore, St. Louis has a slightly better economy than Albuquerque.
Is St. Louis safer than Albuquerque?
The crime rates in St. Louis and Albuquerque are nearly identical. However, Albuquerque has a slightly higher crime score of 70.76, whereas St. Louis’ is 70.56. Therefore, St. Louis is marginally safer than Albuquerque.
Both St. Louis and Albuquerque are among USA’s most dangerous cities.
Albuquerque’s crime index is 70.76 compared to St. Louis’ 70.56.
St. Louis has a safety scale of 29.44, slightly higher than Albuquerque’s safety scale of only 29.34.
St. Louis had 190 homicides in 2020. However, in 2021 it decreased by about 73 from the previous year’s 263 killings. Not only are the numbers lower than the chaotic time of 2020, but they’re also lower than the pre-pandemic years.
Albuquerque has a daily crime rate of 1.76 times higher than the state average and 2.56 times higher than the national average for property crimes.
ABQ was also named #9 in the world’s most dangerous cities in 2020.
Neither cities are among the safest in the United States. Both ABQ and St. Louis almost have similar crime and safety rates. However, for comparison, St. Louis is marginally safer than Albuquerque.
Is Albuquerque hotter than St. Louis?
St. Louis has an annual average maximum temperature of 89°F with only 202 sunny days. In contrast, Albuquerque has longer sunny days of 280 with an average yearly high temperature of 93°F. Albuquerque is, thus, hotter than St. Louis.
In St. Louis, the summer season can be hot and humid. The temperature ranges typically from 25°F to 89°F throughout the year, with temperatures seldom falling below 9°F or rising over 97°F. Meanwhile, winters are icy and snowy and partially gloomy weather all year.
ABQ, on the other hand, has a year-round temperature range of 27°F to 93°F, with temperatures seldom falling below 18°F or exceeding 99°F.
In St. Louis, there are 202 sunny days a year on average. ABQ, on the other hand, enjoys 280 sunny days a year.
Hence, Albuquerque is hotter than St. Louis.
Is Albuquerque better than St. Louis?
Both cities share an undeniable similarity. However, St. Louis is better than Albuquerque. St. Louis provides lesser living and housing costs and a lower unemployment rate. In comparison, Albuquerque has slightly higher prices, crime, and unemployment numbers.
St. Louis and Albuquerque offer cheaper living and housing expenses to their residents. However, both cities also have similar crime rate problems. Both ABQ and St. Louis are among the most dangerous cities in the nation. Their crime count isn’t far from each other as well.
St. Louis promises a lovely home because of its low cost of living, diverse community, and plenty of entertainment. However, high crime counts and poverty problems are among their disadvantages.
On the other hand, Albuquerque offers the same advantages as St. Louis, but the city has higher unemployment and crime.
Thus, St. Louis is marginally better than Albuquerque.
St. Louis versus Albuquerque – Where do you consider moving? Let me know your thoughts below.