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

Eugene, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,260 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Eugene versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Eugene or St. Paul?

Eugene is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).

Eugene vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Eugene

Oregon

$1,260/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 $1,260 in Eugene, OR versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Eugene, OR is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,836 in Eugene, OR and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 13% higher in St. Paul, MN. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Eugene, OR

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,011

$995

+2% in Eugene, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,080

$1,126

+4% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,411

$1,384

+2% in Eugene, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,674

$1,662

+1% in Eugene, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$435,400

$280,300

+36% in Eugene, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$63,836

$73,055

+14% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,680

$59,320

+19% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.4 yr

33.5 yr

+1.9 yr in Eugene, OR

Homeownership

47.6%

53.2%

+5.6 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

44.2%

43.5%

+0.7 pp in Eugene, OR

Avg Commute

18.6 min

22.3 min

+3.7 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

319.6

619

+94% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

3,348.9

2,897.2

+13% in Eugene, OR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.5°F

47.1°F

+5.4°F in Eugene, OR

Annual Precipitation

46.1 in

28.5 in

+17.6 in in Eugene, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.95/gal

+22% in Eugene, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

16.9

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.59

$14.95

+27% in Eugene, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Eugene, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Eugene, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Eugene, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Eugene, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

9.85%

+0.1 pp in OR

Eugene vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Eugene or St. Paul?: Eugene, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,260 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Eugene than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Eugene versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Eugene or St. Paul?: Eugene is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).