Minneapolis vs St. Louis Cost of Living
St. Louis is approximately 12.5% cheaper than Minneapolis. See salary equivalence, taxes, and side-by-side breakdown.
Minneapolis, MN
St. Louis, MO
| Salary in Minneapolis | Equivalent in St. Louis | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $43,800 | -$6,200 (-12.4%) |
| $75,000 | $65,600 | -$9,400 (-12.5%) |
| $100,000 | $87,500 | -$12,500 (-12.5%) |
| $150,000 | $131,300 | -$18,700 (-12.5%) |
| $200,000 | $175,000 | -$25,000 (-12.5%) |
Minneapolis is roughly 13% more expensive overall, and housing is doing almost all of the work: a one-bedroom runs $1,400 in Minneapolis against $950 in St. Louis.
Housing does most of the damage
Almost the entire gap between two cities is shelter. Tradable goods cost roughly the same everywhere; land does not. A one-bedroom runs about $1,400 a month in Minneapolis and $950 in St. Louis — $450 a month apart, or $5,400 a year.
Buying sharpens the same story. Median home prices sit near $360,000 in Minneapolis against $240,000 in St. Louis — at 20% down, about $24,000 apart in cash up front, before property tax rates in Minnesota and Missouri enter the picture.
Taxes the index leaves out
There is a city-level tax to account for as well: St. Louis charges about 1.00% local income tax, while Minneapolis charges none. On $100,000 that is roughly $1,000 a year, deducted before you ever see it and easy to miss when comparing two offers.
Getting around
Minneapolis is workable without a car in many neighborhoods; St. Louis is served by limited transit.
Work, weather, and what else is different
Minneapolis is a large metro of about 3.7M and roughly flat; St. Louis is a large metro of about 2.8M and roughly flat.
These labor markets barely overlap. Minneapolis is built around healthcare & medtech, finance, retail (Target (HQ), UnitedHealth Group), St. Louis around healthcare, financial services, biotech (BJC HealthCare, Boeing). Your experience may not read as relevant on the other end — secure an offer before you move.
The part spreadsheets leave out. Minneapolis: Cold continental climate: January lows near 7°F, July highs near 83°F. St. Louis: Continental climate with cold winters near 22°F lows and hot humid summers with July highs near 90°F.
No city income tax, but Minnesota's top state rate is 9.85%, one of the highest in the country; the metro hosts six Fortune 500 headquarters including Target and UnitedHealth Group. City of St. Louis levies a 1% earnings tax on residents and on nonresidents who work in the city, on top of Missouri state income tax.
Cost indexes derive from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; rent, home prices and local tax rates are compiled from market and municipal sources. How these are compiled and updated.
Related tools
Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — hourly and annual conversion. Mortgage calculator — what a home in either metro actually costs monthly. Guide: the true cost of relocating.