Living Cost Compare
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,200/mo est.

vs
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,200 in Kansas City, MO versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,449 in Kansas City, MO and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 8% higher in St. Paul, MN. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Kansas City, MO
St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio
$961
$995
+4% in St. Paul, MN
1 Bedroom
$1,031
$1,126
+9% in St. Paul, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,211
$1,384
+14% in St. Paul, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,381
$1,662
+20% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$227,000
$280,300
+23% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$67,449
$73,055
+8% in St. Paul, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,820
$59,320
+17% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
33.5 yr
+2.2 yr in Kansas City, MO
Homeownership
54.6%
53.2%
+1.4 pp in Kansas City, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.8%
43.5%
+5.7 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
21.9 min
22.3 min
+0.4 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,557.1
619
+60% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
4,722.1
2,897.2
+39% in Kansas City, MO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.7°F
47.1°F
+9.6°F in Kansas City, MO
Annual Precipitation
39.1 in
28.5 in
+10.6 in in Kansas City, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.95/gal
about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.7
16.9
+24% in St. Paul, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.13
$14.95
+38% in Kansas City, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.66
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$3.63
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.77
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / MN)
4.225%
6.875%
+2.7 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
4.70%
9.85%
+5.1 pp in MN

Kansas City vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Kansas City or St. Paul?
Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,200 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Kansas City 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 Kansas City versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Kansas City or St. Paul?
Kansas City is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).