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

Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Missoula versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Missoula or St. Paul?

Missoula is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% 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).

Missoula vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Missoula

Montana

$1,100/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 $1,100 in Missoula, MT versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,329 in Missoula, MT and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 11% higher in St. Paul, MN. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Missoula, MT

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$755

$995

+32% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$953

$1,126

+18% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,176

$1,384

+18% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,676

$1,662

+1% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$427,400

$280,300

+34% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$65,329

$73,055

+12% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,830

$59,320

+24% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.3 yr

33.5 yr

+0.8 yr in Missoula, MT

Homeownership

47.8%

53.2%

+5.4 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

51.7%

43.5%

+8.2 pp in Missoula, MT

Avg Commute

16.6 min

22.3 min

+5.7 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

601.9

619

+3% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

3,685.2

2,897.2

+21% in Missoula, MT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.9°F

47.1°F

+1.2°F in St. Paul, MN

Annual Precipitation

14.1 in

28.5 in

+14.4 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.96/gal

+7% in Missoula, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

17.5

+16% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$10.12

$14.79

+46% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Missoula, MT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Missoula, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Missoula, MT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

5.65%

9.85%

+4.2 pp in MN

Missoula vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Missoula or St. Paul?: Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Missoula than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Missoula versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Missoula or St. Paul?: Missoula is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% 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).