St. Paul, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In St. Paul, MN Summary

Cost of living in 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 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 St. Paul is 103, with 100 being the average.

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

  • St. Paul ranks as the #64 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • St. Paul ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Paul is $288,589.

  • The median income in St. Paul is $73,055.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
St. Paul's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Paul has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in St. Paul ranks as #64 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies St. Paul ranks as the #84 most expensive place in the North Star State.

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

64 out of 148
In Minnesota
2,952 out of 6,489
In America

St. Paul Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in St. Paul is 95.

  • The Groceries index in St. Paul is 98.

  • The Health index in St. Paul is 99.

  • The Housing index in St. Paul is 112.

  • The Transportation index in St. Paul is 99.

  • The Utilities index in St. Paul is 95.

Living Expense St. Paul Minnesota National Average
Overall 103 97 100
Services 95 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 99 110 100
Housing 112 100 100
Transportation 99 95 100
Utilities 95 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
St. Paul Cost of Living Vs. MN

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 St. Paul is $288,589.

  • The Median Rent in St. Paul is $1,248.

  • The Median Income in St. Paul is $73,055.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Paul is 4.0x.

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

Statistic St. Paul Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $288,589 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,248 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $73,055 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.0x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.21x
$288,589
Median Home Value
$1,248
Median Rent
$73,055
Median Income

St. Paul, MN Costs By Category

Detailed St. Paul Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item 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 St. Paul Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item 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 St. Paul Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

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

Detailed St. Paul Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

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

Detailed St. Paul Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

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

St. Paul SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Paul

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around St. Paul. 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, 1.2x St. Paul.

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

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

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Paul
Plymouth, MN 79,526 124 1.2x
Woodbury, MN 76,945 122 1.2x
Lakeville, MN 72,480 119 1.2x
Eden Prairie, MN 63,249 124 1.2x
Apple Valley, MN 55,696 111 1.1x
Minnetonka, MN 53,256 120 1.2x
Edina, MN 53,125 139 1.3x
Roseville, MN 35,905 108 1.0x
Shoreview, MN 26,724 111 1.1x
West St. Paul, MN 21,076 102 1.0x

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