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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Boston, MA's $2,290, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $79,000 a year in Boston versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Boston or St. Paul?

Boston is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Boston vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Boston

Massachusetts

$2,290/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 $2,290 in Boston, MA versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Boston, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $94,755 in Boston, MA and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 23% higher in Boston, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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.

Boston, MA

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,890

$995

+47% in Boston, MA

1 Bedroom

$1,978

$1,126

+43% in Boston, MA

2 Bedroom

$2,155

$1,384

+36% in Boston, MA

3 Bedroom

$2,234

$1,662

+26% in Boston, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$710,400

$280,300

+61% in Boston, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$94,755

$73,055

+23% in Boston, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$66,620

$59,320

+11% in Boston, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.2 yr

33.5 yr

+0.3 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

35.4%

53.2%

+17.8 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

54.1%

43.5%

+10.6 pp in Boston, MA

Avg Commute

30.2 min

22.3 min

+7.9 min in Boston, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

630.2

619

+2% in Boston, MA

Property Crime

2,030.8

2,897.2

+43% in St. Paul, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.5°F

47.1°F

+4.4°F in Boston, MA

Annual Precipitation

43.8 in

28.5 in

+15.3 in in Boston, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.95/gal

about equal

Area: Massachusetts vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.8

16.9

+41% in Boston, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.39

$14.95

+52% in Boston, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Boston, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Boston, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Boston, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Boston, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / MN)

6.25%

6.875%

+0.6 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.00%

9.85%

+0.8 pp in MN

Boston vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Boston or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Boston, MA's $2,290, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Boston than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $79,000 a year in Boston versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Boston or St. Paul?: Boston is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).