Cost of Living: St. Paul, MN vs Rochester, MN

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,119/mo in St. Paul, MN versus $4,119/mo in Rochester, MN. In the model, rent is about 18.19% of gross in St. Paul, MN versus 19.18% in Rochester, MN, so St. Paul, MN tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in St. Paul, MN
$4,119/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Rochester, MN
$4,119/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in St. Paul, MN
18.19%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Rochester, MN
19.18%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between St. Paul, MN and Rochester, MN.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Rochester, MN
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): St. Paul, MN
  • Lower home prices: St. Paul, MN
  • Higher median household income: Rochester, MN

Cost of Living Index

St. Paul, MN: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Rochester, MN: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

St. Paul, MN: $1,186/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Rochester, MN: $1,251/mo

Median rent in Rochester, MN is $65/mo higher than in St. Paul, MN.

Median Home Price

St. Paul, MN: $280,300 · Rochester, MN: $287,500

Median home price in Rochester, MN is $7,200 higher than in St. Paul, MN.

Median Household Income

St. Paul, MN: $73,055 · Rochester, MN: $87,767

Rochester, MN has a higher median household income than St. Paul, MN by $14,712.

St. Paul, MN overview · Rochester, MN overview · Popular comparisons