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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Dallas or St. Paul?

Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax 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).

Dallas vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Dallas

Texas

$1,480/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 $1,480 in Dallas, TX versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 7% higher in St. Paul, MN. 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.

Dallas, TX

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,259

$995

+21% in Dallas, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,280

$1,126

+12% in Dallas, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,500

$1,384

+8% in Dallas, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,559

$1,662

+7% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$295,300

$280,300

+5% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$67,760

$73,055

+8% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$59,320

+15% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

33.5 yr

+0.1 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

42.4%

53.2%

+10.8 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

37.4%

43.5%

+6.1 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

26.0 min

22.3 min

+3.7 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

661.9

619

+6% in Dallas, TX

Property Crime

3,412.9

2,897.2

+15% in Dallas, TX

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

47.1°F

+20.1°F in Dallas, TX

Annual Precipitation

37.6 in

28.5 in

+9.1 in in Dallas, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.95/gal

+9% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Texas vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.50

—

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

16.9

+3% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$14.95

+51% in Dallas, TX

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 Dallas, TX

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 (TX / MN)

6.25%

6.875%

+0.6 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.85%

+9.8 pp in MN

Dallas vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or St. Paul?: Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax 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).