Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
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Saint Paul, MN Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Paul, MN and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,445 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $2,445
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $3,672
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $4,900 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $4,900
New York, NY $9,509

Saint Paul, MN is about 51% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Paul, MN and New York, NY sit above the global median – Saint Paul, MN by 80%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 $15.66

$28.55 $28.55

-45.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 $67.8

$118 $118

-42.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$15.04 $15.04

-33.05%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$6.53 $6.53

-22.97%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$3.96 $3.96

-21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.01 $3.01

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$8.16 $8.16

-25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$9.84 $9.84

-25.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.37 $1.37

-28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.97 $4.97

-23.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$7.81 $7.81

-57.36%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$5.97 $5.97

-50.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$18.91 $18.91

-50.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$18.04 $18.04

-46.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$19.05 $19.05

-30.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.76 $6.76

-28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.27 $2.27

-51.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$6.83 $6.83

-13.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$7.09 $7.09

-30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.22 $4.22

-9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.65 $4.65

-25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.87 $2.87

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.60 $2.60

-32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.68 $12.68

$18.77 $18.77

-32.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 $14.65

$20.13 $20.13

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.45 $3.45

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.02 $4.02

-15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.91 $2.91

-32.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$139 $139

-25.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.08 $3.08

-17.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.12 $2.12

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 $31.02

$41.96 $41.96

-26.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.17 $1.17

-11.97%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$34.5K $34.5K

-21.42%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.82%

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

$232 $232

$219 $219

5.87%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$74.2 $74.2

-31.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$70.2 $70.2

-7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.74 $29.74

$112 $112

-73.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 $8.50

$74.9 $74.9

-88.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 $13.07

$22.14 $22.14

-40.97%

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

$1,481 $1,481

$3,558 $3,558

-58.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K $28.1K

$62.2K $62.2K

-54.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 $41.01

$75.6 $75.6

-45.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 $40.23

$51.2 $51.2

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 $82.1

$123 $123

-33.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$140 $140

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$4,499 $4,499

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 $1,153

$3,078 $3,078

-62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$9,447 $9,447

-71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 $2,132

$5,190 $5,190

-58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,631 $2,631

$18.1K $18.1K

-85.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 $1,949

$6,693 $6,693

-70.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 $4,256

$5,220 $5,220

-18.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.86

-8.02%

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

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 167% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 56.4% $203

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 4.7% $16

Eating Out

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 55.3% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 42.5% $52

Getting Around

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 34.9% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 180% $100

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saint Paul, MN versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $563 – making Saint Paul, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

23:58 11:58 PM

00:58 12:58 AM

1 h ahead of Saint Paul, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,068

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Saint Paul, MN New York, NY 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Paul, MN
New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 102% more than Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,667 per month in Saint Paul, MN and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,444 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,481 per month in Saint Paul, MN and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint Paul, MN costs $2,445 versus $4,941 in New York, NY. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Paul, MN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.