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

Columbia, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,220 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in Columbia versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Columbia or St. Paul?

Columbia is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Columbia vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Columbia

South Carolina

$1,220/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 $1,220 in Columbia, SC versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Columbia, SC is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,653 in Columbia, SC and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 24% higher in St. Paul, MN. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Columbia, SC

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$802

$995

+24% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,026

$1,126

+10% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,164

$1,384

+19% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,338

$1,662

+24% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$243,500

$280,300

+15% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$55,653

$73,055

+31% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,430

$59,320

+28% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.7 yr

33.5 yr

+4.8 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

47.3%

53.2%

+5.9 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

46.1%

43.5%

+2.6 pp in Columbia, SC

Avg Commute

17.4 min

22.3 min

+4.9 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

769.9

619

+20% in Columbia, SC

Property Crime

3,265.1

2,897.2

+11% in Columbia, SC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

64.9°F

47.1°F

+17.8°F in Columbia, SC

Annual Precipitation

45.4 in

28.5 in

+16.9 in in Columbia, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.96/gal

+0% in St. Paul, MN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

17.5

+13% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$14.79

+49% in Columbia, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in St. Paul, MN

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Columbia, SC

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in St. Paul, MN

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / MN)

6.875%

+0.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

9.85%

+3.8 pp in MN

Columbia vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Columbia or St. Paul?: Columbia, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,220 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbia than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in Columbia versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Columbia or St. Paul?: Columbia is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% 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).