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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Nashua or St. Paul?

Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire'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).

Nashua vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Nashua

New Hampshire

$1,660/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 $1,660 in Nashua, NH versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashua, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $92,457 in Nashua, NH and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 21% higher in Nashua, NH. New Hampshire 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.

Nashua, NH

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$995

+12% in Nashua, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,383

$1,126

+19% in Nashua, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,699

$1,384

+19% in Nashua, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,951

$1,662

+15% in Nashua, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$373,100

$280,300

+25% in Nashua, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$92,457

$73,055

+21% in Nashua, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$59,320

+5% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.7 yr

33.5 yr

+6.2 yr in Nashua, NH

Homeownership

56.4%

53.2%

+3.2 pp in Nashua, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

43.5%

+3.0 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

25.3 min

22.3 min

+3.0 min in Nashua, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

164.9

619

+275% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

1,269

2,897.2

+128% in St. Paul, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

49.2°F

47.1°F

+2.1°F in Nashua, NH

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

28.5 in

+16.1 in in Nashua, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.96/gal

+0% in St. Paul, MN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

17.5

+35% in Nashua, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$14.79

+32% in Nashua, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Nashua, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Nashua, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Nashua, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Nashua, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.85%

+9.8 pp in MN

Nashua vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashua than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Nashua or St. Paul?: Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire'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).