Is it cheaper to live in Minneapolis or Tucson?

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Minneapolis than in Tucson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Minneapolis versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Tucson?

Minneapolis is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Minneapolis vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,370/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 32% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Minneapolis, MN

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$992

$795

+20% in Minneapolis, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,192

$891

+25% in Minneapolis, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,555

$1,146

+26% in Minneapolis, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,761

$1,520

+14% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$345,600

$242,200

+30% in Minneapolis, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$80,269

$54,546

+32% in Minneapolis, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$59,320

$47,760

+19% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.0 yr

34.6 yr

+1.6 yr in Tucson, AZ

Homeownership

48.0%

51.7%

+3.7 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

54.5%

30.2%

+24.3 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Avg Commute

22.5 min

22.2 min

+0.3 min in Minneapolis, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,168.5

645.8

+45% in Minneapolis, MN

Property Crime

5,183.1

3,460

+33% in Minneapolis, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

47.4°F

70.2°F

+22.8°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

32.8 in

11.6 in

+21.2 in in Minneapolis, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.95/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Minnesota vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

Free

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit vs Sun Tran (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.9

15.2

+10% in Minneapolis, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$14.95

$22.44

+50% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Minneapolis, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Minneapolis, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / AZ)

6.875%

5.6%

+1.3 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.85%

2.50%

+7.3 pp in MN

Minneapolis vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Minneapolis or Tucson?: Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Minneapolis than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Minneapolis versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Tucson?: Minneapolis is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).