St. Cloud, Minnesota
Living in St. Cloud, Minnesota is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 100 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,224 a month, 37% 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 30% of the area's $88,672 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.87
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,224
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.99
Combo meal
Electricity
17.2¢
per kWh · ~$155/mo
Car Insurance
$137/mo
$1,644/yr
Median Household Income
$88,672
29.7% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,644 in St. Cloud. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,224/mo in St. Cloud. 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
$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
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
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 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)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $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)$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | — | — | — | — | $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 | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% 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 | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% 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 | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.99
Casual Dining
$25.68
Monthly Spend
$451.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in St. Cloud?
Average 1BR: $1,004/mo · 2BR: $1,444/mo
St. Cloud Cost of Living FAQ
Is St. Cloud, MN expensive to live in?
St. Cloud has a cost of living index of 100, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the 3rd most affordable of the 8 Minnesota cities we track.
What is the average rent in St. Cloud, MN?
Typical rent in St. Cloud is $1,224 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 37% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,004 and two bedrooms about $1,444. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in St. Cloud?
Rent in St. Cloud rose 5.3% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in St. Cloud?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.87 a gallon in St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud?
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 St. Cloud is about $155.
How much is car insurance in St. Cloud?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,644 a year in Minnesota, or about $137 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in St. Cloud?
Median household income in the St. Cloud area is $88,672 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $26,356 a year, or 30% 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 St. Cloud compare with the rest of Minnesota?
Rent in St. Cloud is 17% below the $1,475 average across the 8 Minnesota cities we track, and its cost of living index of 100 compares with a state average of 101.
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