Saint Paul, Minnesota
Living in Saint Paul, Minnesota is about 4% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 104 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,736 a month, 10% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.87 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 40% of the area's $81,004 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.87
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,736
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.25
Combo meal
Electricity
17.2¢
per kWh · ~$155/mo
Car Insurance
$157/mo
$1,880/yr
Median Household Income
$81,004
40.4% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,880 in Saint Paul. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,736/mo in Saint Paul. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.87 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.16 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.96 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.32 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$5.91 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$9.31 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.91 | $5.87 | +50.1% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.41 | $5.16 | +17.0% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.67 | $7.96 | +40.4% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.28 | $5.32 | +24.3% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.66 | $5.91 | +26.8% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.39 | $9.31 | +45.7% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.25
Casual Dining
$23.69
Monthly Spend
$396.72
+4.59% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.21
$13.25
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.27
$14.31
+54.4%Chipotle
2022: $9.94
$14.84
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.19
$5.82
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Saint Paul?
Average 1BR: $1,424/mo · 2BR: $2,048/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
325k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,498
$78k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$81k
household median
Employment by Sector — Saint Paul
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$62k/yr
~$111k/yr
~$65k/yr
~$33k/yr
~$102k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 27123
Highest Paying Sector
Professional & Business Services
$2,129/wk · $111k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$638/wk · $33k/yr
Saint Paul Cost of Living FAQ
Is Saint Paul, MN expensive to live in?
Saint Paul has a cost of living index of 104, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 4% more expensive than average. It is the 2nd most expensive of the 8 Minnesota cities we track.
What is the average rent in Saint Paul, MN?
Typical rent in Saint Paul is $1,736 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 10% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,424 and two bedrooms about $2,048. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Saint Paul?
Rent in Saint Paul rose 3.5% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Saint Paul?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.87 a gallon in Saint Paul as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Minnesota. That is 3% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Saint Paul?
Homes in Minnesota pay an average of 17.2 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Saint Paul is about $155.
How much is car insurance in Saint Paul?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,880 a year in Minnesota, or about $157 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Saint Paul?
Median household income in the Saint Paul area is $81,004 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $32,736 a year, or 40% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Saint Paul compare with the rest of Minnesota?
Rent in Saint Paul is 18% above the $1,475 average across the 8 Minnesota cities we track, and its cost of living index of 104 compares with a state average of 101.
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