St. Cloud, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In St. Cloud, MN Summary

Cost of living in St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud is 98, with 100 being the average.

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

  • St. Cloud ranks as the #32 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • St. Cloud ranks as the #2,372 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Cloud is $256,352.

  • The median income in St. Cloud is $61,112.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
98
St. Cloud's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Cloud has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, St. Cloud has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Minnesota's index of 100.

The standard of living in St. Cloud ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies St. Cloud ranks as the #116 most expensive place in the North Star State.

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

32 out of 148
In Minnesota
2,372 out of 6,489
In America

St. Cloud Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in St. Cloud is 109.

  • The Groceries index in St. Cloud is 98.

  • The Health index in St. Cloud is 125.

  • The Housing index in St. Cloud is 87.

  • The Transportation index in St. Cloud is 98.

  • The Utilities index in St. Cloud is 95.

Living Expense St. Cloud Minnesota National Average
Overall 98 100 100
Services 109 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 125 111 100
Housing 87 102 100
Transportation 98 97 100
Utilities 95 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
St. Cloud Cost of Living Vs. MN

St. Cloud, 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 St. Cloud is $256,352.

  • The Median Rent in St. Cloud is $1,005.

  • The Median Income in St. Cloud is $61,112.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Cloud is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Cloud is 0.2x.

Statistic St. Cloud Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $256,352 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,005 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $61,112 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.2x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.21x
$256,352
Median Home Value
$1,005
Median Rent
$61,112
Median Income

St. Cloud, MN Costs By Category

Detailed St. Cloud Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item St. Cloud Minnesota
Shampoo $1.52 $1.28
Movie $11.24 $12.13
Bowling $26.39 $18.0
Haircut $27.97 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.17 $45.56

Detailed St. Cloud Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item St. Cloud Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.86 $4.93
Pizza $13.07 $12.09
Beer $9.52 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed St. Cloud Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item St. Cloud Minnesota
Optometrist $109.94 $125.68
Doctor $162.98 $135.78
Dentist $96.9 $113.29

Detailed St. Cloud Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item St. Cloud Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.97 $59.92

Detailed St. Cloud Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item St. Cloud Minnesota
All Electricity $175.69 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

St. Cloud SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Cloud

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

  • Plymouth, MN has a cost of living index of 124, 1.3x St. Cloud.

  • Maple Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 118, 1.2x St. Cloud.

  • Andover, MN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.2x St. Cloud.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Cloud
Plymouth, MN 79,526 124 1.3x
Maple Grove, MN 70,539 118 1.2x
Andover, MN 32,825 119 1.2x
Champlin, MN 23,450 110 1.1x
Sartell, MN 19,620 108 1.1x
Sauk Rapids, MN 13,851 101 1.0x
Rogers, MN 13,405 122 1.2x
Mound, MN 9,176 105 1.1x
Minnetrista, MN 8,509 141 1.4x
Waite Park, MN 8,341 100 1.0x

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