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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Minnesota is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Minneapolis leads at an index of 96 with rent at just $1,638/month — 14% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis | 96 | $1,638 | Details |
| 2 | St Paul | 87 | $1,485 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Minneapolis — cost index 96, rent $1,638/mo, income $80,269
Minneapolis rent up 4% over the past year
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Minnesota is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Minneapolis leads at an index of 96 with rent at just $1,638/month — 14% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's Minneapolis by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 96. Rent: $1,638/month. Income: $80,269/year. Home price: $327,043. Population: 425,115. The strongest category is Housing at 96; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,084 per year vs. the national median. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
Bottom line: Minneapolis leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Minneapolis | 9.85% | 7.545% | 1.02% | $53,510 |
2St Paul | 9.85% | 7.545% | 1.02% | $53,510 |
425,115 residents · Minnesota
Here's Minneapolis by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 96. Rent: $1,638/month — though some people might weigh that differently — . Income: $80,269/year. Home price: $327,043. Population: 425,115. The strongest category is Housing at 96; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,084 per year vs. the national median. For dual-income households, this multiplies into serious savings.
303,820 residents · Minnesota
A closer look at St Paul: the cost index of 87 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Housing index of 87 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). That tracks. Median rent is $1,485/month — 22% below the national median — while household income sits at $73,055, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard. An outlier in the best sense.
Minneapolis ranks #1 in Minnesota for this analysis with a cost index of 96 and median income of $80,269.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Minneapolis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,638/mo, while St Paul (ranked #2) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,485/mo — a 9-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Minneapolis is $1,638/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $257 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Minneapolis is $327,043, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Minnesota has a 9.85% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.545%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.02%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.