Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

vs
Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,350/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,350 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Minneapolis, MN is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 12% higher in Austin, TX. 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.

Austin, TX
Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$992
+26% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,192
+18% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,555
+12% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,761
+17% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$345,600
+33% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$80,269
+12% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$59,320
+4% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
33.0 yr
+1.5 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
48.0%
+3.6 pp in Minneapolis, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
54.5%
+3.7 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
22.5 min
+1.5 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
1,167.8
+145% in Minneapolis, MN
Property Crime
3,290.2
5,182.6
+58% 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
67.2°F
47.4°F
+19.8°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
32.8 in
+2.1 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.25/gal
+7% in Minneapolis, MN

Area: Texas vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.00
+60% in Minneapolis, MN

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs Metro Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
15.1
+8% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$14.33
+42% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in Austin, 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

Austin vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Minneapolis?
Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Minneapolis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Minneapolis?
Austin 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).