Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Saint Paul, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Saint Paul, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,680 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,872 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,753 in Saint Paul, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,065 in Indianapolis, IN versus $5,100 in Saint Paul, MN.

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 11% more expensive than in Saint Paul, MN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Indianapolis, IN 101% above, Saint Paul, MN 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 $25.22

$17.76 $17.76

42.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$66.2 $66.2

13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$9.82 $9.82

12.83%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$5.05 $5.05

9.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.78 $2.78

-0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.38 $2.38

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$5.88 $5.88

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$6.86 $6.86

19.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.04 $1.04

-21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.18 $4.18

-26.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.81 $3.81

39.11%

Eggs

$3.46 $3.46

$3.33 $3.33

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.36 $9.36

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$11.62 $11.62

-4.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$14.26 $14.26

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.06 $5.06

3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.20 $1.20

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$5.64 $5.64

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.18 $5.18

-40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.94 $3.94

-45.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.75 $3.75

-31.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.99 $1.99

-9.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.92 $1.92

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$10.66 $10.66

-13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$14.71 $14.71

5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.75 $1.75

-3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$4.45 $4.45

-50.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.27 $2.27

-25.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$121 $121

-49.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$5.04 $5.04

-61.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.37 $1.37

22.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.21 $34.21

$29.27 $29.27

16.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.82 $0.82

12.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.9K $33.9K

$35.1K $35.1K

-3.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.6K $25.6K

-1.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$237 $237

$226 $226

4.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.4 $64.4

$49.33 $49.33

30.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$71.9 $71.9

1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.25 $35.25

$42.02 $42.02

-16.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.75 $31.75

$9.81 $9.81

223.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 $15.00

$14.01 $14.01

7.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,745 $1,745

$1,458 $1,458

19.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K $27.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-9.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.25 $48.25

$38.77 $38.77

24.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.33 $41.33

$41.32 $41.32

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 $98.8

$84.5 $84.5

16.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$1,248 $1,248

40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,017 $1,017

28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,817 $2,817

$2,180 $2,180

29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 $2,107

$2,276 $2,276

-7.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$2,957 $2,957

-7.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,924 $1,924

$2,197 $2,197

-12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,598 $4,598

$4,046 $4,046

13.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.43

1.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: July 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,755 in Indianapolis, IN and $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN vs $66.0 in Saint Paul, MN. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $388, with Indianapolis, IN cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Indianapolis, IN vs Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Paul, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Indianapolis, IN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saint Paul, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Indianapolis, IN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,755 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,680 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,680 in Indianapolis, IN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Saint Paul, MN but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Paul, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Saint Paul, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,405 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Saint Paul, MN hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Indianapolis, IN and Saint Paul, MN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Saint Paul, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.