Is it cheaper to live in Billings or St. Paul?

Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Billings than in St. Paul?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Billings versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Billings or St. Paul?

Billings is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Billings vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Billings

Montana

$1,030/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Billings, MT versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Billings, MT is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,855 in Billings, MT and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 2% higher in St. Paul, MN. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Billings, MT

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$877

$995

+13% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$889

$1,126

+27% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,102

$1,384

+26% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,398

$1,662

+19% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,800

$280,300

+10% in Billings, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$71,855

$73,055

+2% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,060

$59,320

+21% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.1 yr

33.5 yr

+4.6 yr in Billings, MT

Homeownership

64.8%

53.2%

+11.6 pp in Billings, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

37.0%

43.5%

+6.5 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

16.7 min

22.3 min

+5.6 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

750.2

619

+17% in Billings, MT

Property Crime

3,123.5

2,897.2

+7% in Billings, MT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

48.2°F

47.1°F

+1.1°F in Billings, MT

Annual Precipitation

13.7 in

28.5 in

+14.9 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.95/gal

+8% in Billings, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.7

16.9

+16% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$8.77

$14.95

+70% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Billings, MT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Billings, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Billings, MT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Billings, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

5.65%

9.85%

+4.2 pp in MN

Billings vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Billings or St. Paul?: Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Billings than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Billings versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Billings or St. Paul?: Billings is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); St. Paul 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).