Cottage Grove, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Cottage Grove, MN Summary

Cost of living in Cottage Grove research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Cottage Grove is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Cottage Grove is 110, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Cottage Grove is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Cottage Grove ranks as the #98 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Cottage Grove ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cottage Grove is $389,799.

  • The median income in Cottage Grove is $121,452.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
110
Cottage Grove's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cottage Grove, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cottage Grove has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Cottage Grove has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in Cottage Grove ranks as #98 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Cottage Grove ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Cottage Grove, check out:

98 out of 148
In Minnesota
3,657 out of 6,489
In America

Cottage Grove Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cottage Grove. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Cottage Grove is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Cottage Grove is 101.

  • The Health index in Cottage Grove is 103.

  • The Housing index in Cottage Grove is 147.

  • The Transportation index in Cottage Grove is 99.

  • The Utilities index in Cottage Grove is 95.

Living Expense Cottage Grove Minnesota National Average
Overall 110 97 100
Services 98 101 100
Groceries 101 99 100
Health 103 110 100
Housing 147 100 100
Transportation 99 95 100
Utilities 95 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Cottage Grove Cost of Living Vs. MN

Cottage Grove, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Cottage Grove is $389,799.

  • The Median Rent in Cottage Grove is $1,644.

  • The Median Income in Cottage Grove is $121,452.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cottage Grove is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cottage Grove is 0.16x.

Statistic Cottage Grove Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $389,799 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,644 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $121,452 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$389,799
Median Home Value
$1,644
Median Rent
$121,452
Median Income

Cottage Grove, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Cottage Grove Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Cottage Grove Minnesota
Shampoo $1.3 $1.28
Movie $13.47 $12.13
Bowling $21.5 $18
Haircut $28.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $34.55 $45.56

Detailed Cottage Grove Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Cottage Grove Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.49 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $12.49 $12.09
Beer $9.36 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Cottage Grove Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Cottage Grove Minnesota
Optometrist $145.44 $125.68
Doctor $229.08 $135.78
Dentist $108.67 $113.29

Detailed Cottage Grove Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Cottage Grove Minnesota
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.74 $59.92

Detailed Cottage Grove Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Cottage Grove Minnesota
All Electricity $175.38 $193.99
Phone $187.39 $192.25

Cottage Grove SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cottage Grove

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cottage Grove. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Woodbury, MN has a cost of living index of 122, 1.1x Cottage Grove.

  • Lakeville, MN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.1x Cottage Grove.

  • Eagan, MN has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Cottage Grove.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cottage Grove
Woodbury, MN 76,945 122 1.1x
Lakeville, MN 72,480 119 1.1x
Eagan, MN 68,158 115 1.0x
Apple Valley, MN 55,696 111 1.0x
Richfield, MN 36,725 104 0.9x
Inver Grove Heights, MN 35,772 112 1.0x
Rosemount, MN 26,509 115 1.0x
Farmington, MN 23,675 111 1.0x
Hastings, MN 22,050 103 0.9x
South St. Paul, MN 20,633 102 0.9x

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