Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,422 a month against $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
Learn more

Saint Paul, MN Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
Learn more

Indianapolis, IN Living Index

Jump to prices

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,422

/mo nomad

Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,422 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN.

Saint Paul, MN $2,422
Indianapolis, IN $2,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,736 in Saint Paul, MN versus $3,948 in Indianapolis, IN.

Saint Paul, MN $3,736
Indianapolis, IN $3,948

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Saint Paul, MN versus $5,111 in Indianapolis, IN.

Saint Paul, MN $5,050
Indianapolis, IN $5,111

Living in Saint Paul, MN costs roughly 13% less than in Indianapolis, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Paul, MN 79% above, Indianapolis, IN 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.80 $15.80

$20.31 $20.31

-22.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 $67.5

$80.8 $80.8

-16.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$11.83 $11.83

-15.81%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.68 $5.68

-7.04%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$3.25 $3.25

-3.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.68 $2.68

1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.35 $6.35

-6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$7.87 $7.87

-6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.90 $0.90

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.39 $3.39

12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.67 $4.67

-27.62%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$3.61 $3.61

-14.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$12.53 $12.53

-23.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 $9.86

$12.77 $12.77

-22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$16.96 $16.96

-21.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$5.49 $5.49

-13.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.47 $1.47

-24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.94 $4.94

24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.35 $4.35

15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.40 $2.40

64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.97 $2.97

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.42 $2.42

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.49 $2.49

-31.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.24 $12.24

$10.24 $10.24

19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.56 $14.56

$15.47 $15.47

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.06 $2.06

-16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.47 $3.47

1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.77 $1.77

26.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 $119

$59.5 $59.5

100.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.99 $1.99

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.75 $1.75

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.76 $30.76

$33.33 $33.33

-7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.98 $0.98

4.08%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.1K $37.1K

-2.91%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$25.7K $25.7K

-3.26%

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

$227 $227

$232 $232

-2.03%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$61.3 $61.3

-16.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$63.6 $63.6

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.76 $33.76

$39.74 $39.74

-15.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.48 $8.48

$41.13 $41.13

-79.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 $13.16

$15.09 $15.09

-12.79%

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

$1,472 $1,472

$1,756 $1,756

-16.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K $27.3K

$24.6K $24.6K

10.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 $40.97

$57.8 $57.8

-29.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.32 $39.32

$44.68 $44.68

-12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$110 $110

-28.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$145 $145

-22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 $1,330

$1,732 $1,732

-23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 $1,106

$1,376 $1,376

-19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 $2,444

$2,681 $2,681

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$1,985 $1,985

12.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 $2,956

$2,787 $2,787

6.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,189 $2,189

$1,865 $1,865

17.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,595 $4,595

-8.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.57

-3.96%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 13, 2026

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Paul, MN

$1.1K 45.7%

Indianapolis, IN

$1.4K 49.4% 24.4% $270

Groceries & Markets

Saint Paul, MN

$363 15%

Indianapolis, IN

$407 14.6% 12.1% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Paul, MN

$344 14.2%

Indianapolis, IN

$357 12.8% 3.6% $12

Eating Out

Saint Paul, MN

$288 11.9%

Indianapolis, IN

$337 12.1% 17.3% $50

Getting Around

Saint Paul, MN

$138 5.7%

Indianapolis, IN

$77 2.8% 44.2% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5.1%

Indianapolis, IN

$161 5.8% 31.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Paul, MN

$60 2.5%

Indianapolis, IN

$70 2.5% 16.3% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,330 in Saint Paul, MN and $1,732 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 10% 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: $67.0 in Saint Paul, MN vs $81.0 in Indianapolis, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $407 per month, with Saint Paul, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🕒 Local time

03:04 3:04 AM

04:04 4:04 AM

1 h ahead of Saint Paul, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,068

882,039

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Saint Paul, MN
Indianapolis, IN

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

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

Saint Paul, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Indianapolis, IN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,330 in Saint Paul, MN versus $1,732 in Indianapolis, IN. 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 $67.0 versus $81.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,422 per month in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,422 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,785 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 $2,422 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Saint Paul, MN hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Paul, MN and Indianapolis, IN 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 15% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.