Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Minneapolis?

Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Arlington, TX's $1,370, mainly because of natural gas costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Minneapolis?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.

Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Minneapolis?

Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Arlington vs Minneapolis Cost of Living 2026

Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,350/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,350 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Minneapolis, MN is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 8% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX

Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,088

$992

+9% in Arlington, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$1,192

+1% in Minneapolis, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,410

$1,555

+10% in Minneapolis, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$1,761

+3% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$276,400

$345,600

+25% in Minneapolis, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$73,519

$80,269

+9% in Minneapolis, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$59,320

+15% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.6 yr

33.0 yr

+0.6 yr in Arlington, TX

Homeownership

54.8%

48.0%

+6.8 pp in Arlington, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.1%

54.5%

+21.4 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Avg Commute

26.7 min

22.5 min

+4.2 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

492.4

1,167.8

+137% in Minneapolis, MN

Property Crime

2,433.5

5,182.6

+113% in Minneapolis, MN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.4°F

47.4°F

+18.0°F in Arlington, TX

Annual Precipitation

39.6 in

32.8 in

+6.8 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$4.25/gal

+7% in Minneapolis, MN

Area: Texas vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

N/A

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs Metro Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

15.1

+8% in Arlington, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$14.33

+42% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.14

+1% in Arlington, TX

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$1.79

+4% in Minneapolis, MN

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Minneapolis, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$6.97

+6% in Minneapolis, MN

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.15

+13% in Minneapolis, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.63

+3% in Minneapolis, MN

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MN)

6.25%

6.875%

+0.6 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.85%

+9.8 pp in MN

Arlington vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Minneapolis?: Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Arlington, TX's $1,370, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Minneapolis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Minneapolis?: Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).