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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or St. Paul?

Bozeman 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).

Bozeman vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,310/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,360 in Bozeman, MT versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bozeman, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $79,903 in Bozeman, MT and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 9% higher in Bozeman, MT. 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.

Bozeman, MT

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,064

$995

+6% in Bozeman, MT

1 Bedroom

$1,214

$1,126

+7% in Bozeman, MT

2 Bedroom

$1,528

$1,384

+9% in Bozeman, MT

3 Bedroom

$2,057

$1,662

+19% in Bozeman, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$614,900

$280,300

+54% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$79,903

$73,055

+9% in Bozeman, MT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,830

$59,320

+8% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

33.5 yr

+4.9 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

44.6%

53.2%

+8.6 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

65.1%

43.5%

+21.6 pp in Bozeman, MT

Avg Commute

15.4 min

22.3 min

+6.9 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

451.2

619

+37% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

1,808.3

2,897.2

+60% 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

45.3°F

47.1°F

+1.8°F in St. Paul, MN

Annual Precipitation

14.0 in

28.5 in

+14.5 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.96/gal

+7% in Bozeman, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

17.5

+16% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$10.12

$14.79

+46% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Bozeman, MT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Bozeman, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Bozeman, MT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Bozeman, 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

Bozeman vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bozeman than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or St. Paul?: Bozeman 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).