Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
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Indianapolis, IN Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
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Saint Paul, MN Living Index

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Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,684

/mo nomad

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Indianapolis, IN and in Saint Paul, MN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Indianapolis, IN and in Saint Paul, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN.

Indianapolis, IN $2,684
Saint Paul, MN $2,445

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,851 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,672 in Saint Paul, MN.

Indianapolis, IN $3,851
Saint Paul, MN $3,672

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,019 in Indianapolis, IN versus $4,900 in Saint Paul, MN.

Indianapolis, IN $5,019
Saint Paul, MN $4,900

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 10% more expensive than in Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Indianapolis, IN 97% above, Saint Paul, MN 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$15.66 $15.66

27.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$67.8 $67.8

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$10.07 $10.07

18.07%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.03 $5.03

12.33%

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

$3.31 $3.31

$3.09 $3.09

7.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.59 $2.59

1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$6.04 $6.04

2.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$7.37 $7.37

9.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.98 $0.98

-12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.80 $3.80

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.33 $3.33

39.34%

Eggs

$3.74 $3.74

$2.96 $2.96

26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$9.39 $9.39

32.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$9.66 $9.66

29.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$13.17 $13.17

31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.84 $4.84

15.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.11 $1.11

32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.88 $5.88

-15.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.92 $4.92

-14.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.81 $3.81

-33.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.48 $3.48

-16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$12.68 $12.68

-9.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$14.65 $14.65

6.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.69 $1.69

18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.41 $3.41

5.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.96 $1.96

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 $60.6

$104 $104

-41.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.54 $2.54

-19.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.52 $1.52

11.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.96 $33.96

$31.02 $31.02

9.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.03 $1.03

-9.71%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

13.48%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.25%

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

$234 $234

$232 $232

0.84%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$50.6 $50.6

20.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$64.7 $64.7

-0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 $36.87

$29.74 $29.74

23.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.90 $41.90

$8.50 $8.50

392.94%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$13.07 $13.07

13.24%

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

$1,736 $1,736

$1,481 $1,481

17.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$28.1K $28.1K

-12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$41.01 $41.01

37.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$40.23 $40.23

11.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$82.1 $82.1

36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$110 $110

30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 $1,651

$1,444 $1,444

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$1,153 $1,153

10.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 $2,666

$2,660 $2,660

0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 $1,909

$2,132 $2,132

-10.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,631 $2,631

5.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,751 $1,751

$1,949 $1,949

-10.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,222 $4,222

$4,256 $4,256

-0.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.31

4.12%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Indianapolis, IN

$1.3K 47.6%

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2% 9.8% $125

Groceries & Markets

Indianapolis, IN

$406 15.1%

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7% 11.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indianapolis, IN

$360 13.4%

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2% 3.4% $12

Eating Out

Indianapolis, IN

$334 12.5%

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6% 15.2% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Indianapolis, IN

$161 6%

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5% 23.4% $38

Getting Around

Indianapolis, IN

$78 2.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5% 55.9% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Indianapolis, IN

$66 2.5%

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3% 15.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,651 in Indianapolis, IN and $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80 in Indianapolis, IN vs $68 in Saint Paul, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $360 per month, with Saint Paul, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🕒 Local time

15:07 3:07 PM

14:07 2:07 PM

1 h behind Indianapolis, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

882,039

285,068

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Indianapolis, IN Saint Paul, MN 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Indianapolis, IN
Saint Paul, MN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 9% 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.

You’d need roughly $4,026 in Indianapolis, IN and $3,667 in Saint Paul, MN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,651 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,444 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 $68 versus $80 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,684 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN – Saint Paul, MN is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

For families, Saint Paul, MN is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Indianapolis, IN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.