Mankato, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mankato, MN Summary

Cost of living in Mankato 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 Mankato 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 Mankato is 100, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mankato is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Mankato ranks as the #43 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Mankato ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mankato is $304,046.

  • The median income in Mankato is $64,826.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
100
Mankato's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mankato, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mankato has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Mankato has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in Mankato ranks as #43 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Mankato ranks as the #105 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Mankato, check out:

43 out of 148
In Minnesota
2,621 out of 6,489
In America

Mankato Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Mankato is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Mankato is 100.

  • The Health index in Mankato is 112.

  • The Housing index in Mankato is 102.

  • The Transportation index in Mankato is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Mankato is 93.

Living Expense Mankato Minnesota National Average
Overall 100 97 100
Services 96 101 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 112 110 100
Housing 102 100 100
Transportation 96 95 100
Utilities 93 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Mankato Cost of Living Vs. MN

Mankato, 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 Mankato is $304,046.

  • The Median Rent in Mankato is $1,089.

  • The Median Income in Mankato is $64,826.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mankato is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mankato is 0.2x.

Statistic Mankato Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $304,046 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,089 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $64,826 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.7x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.21x
$304,046
Median Home Value
$1,089
Median Rent
$64,826
Median Income

Mankato, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Mankato Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Mankato Minnesota
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $10.06 $12.13
Bowling $15.0 $18
Haircut $25.06 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.42 $45.56

Detailed Mankato Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Mankato Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.78 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.68 $4.93
Pizza $12.97 $12.09
Beer $9.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Mankato Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Mankato Minnesota
Optometrist $144.1 $125.68
Doctor $181.22 $135.78
Dentist $110.22 $113.29

Detailed Mankato Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Mankato Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.83 $59.92

Detailed Mankato Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Mankato Minnesota
All Electricity $169.27 $193.99
Phone $191.1 $192.25

Mankato SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
7
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mankato

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

  • Shakopee, MN has a cost of living index of 111, 1.1x Mankato.

  • Chaska, MN has a cost of living index of 112, 1.1x Mankato.

  • Prior Lake, MN has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Mankato.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mankato
Shakopee, MN 45,002 111 1.1x
Chaska, MN 28,146 112 1.1x
Prior Lake, MN 27,832 114 1.1x
Owatonna, MN 26,462 96 1.0x
Northfield, MN 20,678 101 1.0x
North Mankato, MN 14,212 98 1.0x
Waconia, MN 13,223 115 1.1x
St. Peter, MN 12,085 95 0.9x
New Prague, MN 8,195 107 1.1x
Jordan, MN 6,704 108 1.1x

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