South St. Paul, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In South St. Paul, MN Summary

Cost of living in South St. Paul 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 South St. Paul 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 South St. Paul is 102, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in South St. Paul is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • South St. Paul ranks as the #58 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • South St. Paul ranks as the #2,846 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in South St. Paul is $295,038.

  • The median income in South St. Paul is $84,472.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
102
South St. Paul's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in South St. Paul, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South St. Paul has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, South St. Paul has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in South St. Paul ranks as #58 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies South St. Paul ranks as the #90 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in South St. Paul, check out:

58 out of 148
In Minnesota
2,846 out of 6,489
In America

South St. Paul Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in South St. Paul is 95.

  • The Groceries index in South St. Paul is 101.

  • The Health index in South St. Paul is 102.

  • The Housing index in South St. Paul is 108.

  • The Transportation index in South St. Paul is 98.

  • The Utilities index in South St. Paul is 96.

Living Expense South St. Paul Minnesota National Average
Overall 102 97 100
Services 95 101 100
Groceries 101 99 100
Health 102 110 100
Housing 108 100 100
Transportation 98 95 100
Utilities 96 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
South St. Paul Cost of Living Vs. MN

South St. Paul, 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 South St. Paul is $295,038.

  • The Median Rent in South St. Paul is $1,128.

  • The Median Income in South St. Paul is $84,472.

  • The Home Value To Income in South St. Paul is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in South St. Paul is 0.16x.

Statistic South St. Paul Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $295,038 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,128 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $84,472 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$295,038
Median Home Value
$1,128
Median Rent
$84,472
Median Income

South St. Paul, MN Costs By Category

Detailed South St. Paul Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item South St. Paul 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 South St. Paul Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item South St. Paul 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 South St. Paul Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item South St. Paul Minnesota
Optometrist $145.44 $125.68
Doctor $229.08 $135.78
Dentist $108.67 $113.29

Detailed South St. Paul Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item South St. Paul Minnesota
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.74 $59.92

Detailed South St. Paul Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item South St. Paul Minnesota
All Electricity $175.38 $193.99
Phone $187.39 $192.25

South St. Paul SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around South St. Paul

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

  • St. Paul, MN has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x South St. Paul.

  • Woodbury, MN has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x South St. Paul.

  • Lakeville, MN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.2x South St. Paul.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. South St. Paul
St. Paul, MN 307,762 103 1.0x
Woodbury, MN 76,945 122 1.2x
Lakeville, MN 72,480 119 1.2x
Eagan, MN 68,158 115 1.1x
Apple Valley, MN 55,696 111 1.1x
Edina, MN 53,125 139 1.4x
Inver Grove Heights, MN 35,772 112 1.1x
Shoreview, MN 26,724 111 1.1x
Golden Valley, MN 21,927 118 1.2x
West St. Paul, MN 21,076 102 1.0x

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