Golden Valley, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Golden Valley, MN Summary

Cost of living in Golden Valley 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 Golden Valley 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 Golden Valley is 118, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Golden Valley is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Golden Valley ranks as the #126 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Golden Valley ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Golden Valley is $426,168.

  • The median income in Golden Valley is $114,435.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Golden Valley's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Golden Valley, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Golden Valley has an overall cost of living index of 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Golden Valley has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in Golden Valley ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Golden Valley ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Golden Valley, check out:

126 out of 148
In Minnesota
4,280 out of 6,489
In America

Golden Valley Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Golden Valley is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Golden Valley is 98.

  • The Health index in Golden Valley is 102.

  • The Housing index in Golden Valley is 169.

  • The Transportation index in Golden Valley is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Golden Valley is 95.

Living Expense Golden Valley Minnesota National Average
Overall 118 97 100
Services 97 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 102 110 100
Housing 169 100 100
Transportation 95 95 100
Utilities 95 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Golden Valley Cost of Living Vs. MN

Golden Valley, 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 Golden Valley is $426,168.

  • The Median Rent in Golden Valley is $1,815.

  • The Median Income in Golden Valley is $114,435.

  • The Home Value To Income in Golden Valley is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Golden Valley is 0.19x.

Statistic Golden Valley Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $426,168 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,815 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $114,435 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x
$426,168
Median Home Value
$1,815
Median Rent
$114,435
Median Income

Golden Valley, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Golden Valley Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Golden Valley Minnesota
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $11.32 $12.13
Bowling $25.68 $18
Haircut $25.86 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56

Detailed Golden Valley Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Golden Valley Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.6 $4.67
Potatoes $4.76 $4.93
Pizza $13.0 $12.09
Beer $9.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Golden Valley Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Golden Valley Minnesota
Optometrist $112.72 $125.68
Doctor $164.15 $135.78
Dentist $95.01 $113.29

Detailed Golden Valley Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Golden Valley Minnesota
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.91 $59.92

Detailed Golden Valley Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Golden Valley Minnesota
All Electricity $180.11 $193.99
Phone $187.59 $192.25

Golden Valley SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Golden Valley

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

  • Minneapolis, MN has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Golden Valley.

  • Plymouth, MN has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Golden Valley.

  • Maple Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x Golden Valley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Golden Valley
Minneapolis, MN 426,845 110 0.9x
Plymouth, MN 79,526 124 1.1x
Maple Grove, MN 70,539 118 1.0x
Eden Prairie, MN 63,249 124 1.1x
Minnetonka, MN 53,256 120 1.0x
Edina, MN 53,125 139 1.2x
St. Louis Park, MN 49,541 112 0.9x
Brooklyn Center, MN 32,811 101 0.9x
Shoreview, MN 26,724 111 0.9x
Crystal, MN 22,685 103 0.9x

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