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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or St. Paul?

Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax 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).

Fairbanks vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fairbanks, AK, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 1% higher in St. Paul, MN. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$883

$995

+13% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,076

$1,126

+5% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,428

$1,384

+3% in Fairbanks, AK

3 Bedroom

$2,019

$1,662

+18% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$255,700

$280,300

+10% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$72,077

$73,055

+1% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,810

$59,320

+4% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

33.5 yr

+4.9 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

40.5%

53.2%

+12.7 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.5%

43.5%

+17.0 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

14.1 min

22.3 min

+8.2 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

726.1

619

+15% in Fairbanks, AK

Property Crime

3,504.2

2,897.2

+17% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

27.7°F

47.1°F

+19.4°F in St. Paul, MN

Annual Precipitation

10.8 in

28.5 in

+17.7 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.96/gal

+24% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

17.5

+38% in Fairbanks, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$14.79

+15% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Fairbanks, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Fairbanks, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Fairbanks, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Fairbanks, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.85%

+9.8 pp in MN

Fairbanks vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or St. Paul?: Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax 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).