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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or St. Paul?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Denver vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 20% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Denver, CO

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$995

+34% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,126

+29% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,384

+29% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$1,662

+27% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$280,300

+52% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$73,055

+20% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$59,320

+5% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

33.5 yr

+1.7 yr in Denver, CO

Homeownership

49.1%

53.2%

+4.1 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

43.5%

+12.1 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

22.3 min

+3.1 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

999.3

619

+38% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

4,781.1

2,897.2

+39% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

50.2°F

47.1°F

+3.1°F in Denver, CO

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

28.5 in

+12.9 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.95/gal

+8% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

16.9

+5% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.92

$14.95

+25% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / MN)

2.9%

6.875%

+4.0 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

9.85%

+5.4 pp in MN

Denver vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or St. Paul?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).