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

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Phoenix versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Phoenix or St. Paul?

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

Phoenix vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Phoenix

Arizona

$1,430/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,430 in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Phoenix, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,041 in Phoenix, AZ and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 5% higher in Phoenix, AZ. Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Phoenix, AZ

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$995

+12% in Phoenix, AZ

1 Bedroom

$1,253

$1,126

+10% in Phoenix, AZ

2 Bedroom

$1,493

$1,384

+7% in Phoenix, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,771

$1,662

+6% in Phoenix, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$381,900

$280,300

+27% in Phoenix, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$77,041

$73,055

+5% in Phoenix, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,380

$59,320

+15% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

33.5 yr

+1.3 yr in Phoenix, AZ

Homeownership

57.1%

53.2%

+3.9 pp in Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.3%

43.5%

+11.2 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

25.7 min

22.3 min

+3.4 min in Phoenix, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

799.6

619

+23% in Phoenix, AZ

Property Crime

2,338.9

2,897.2

+24% 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

75.1°F

47.1°F

+28.0°F in Phoenix, AZ

Annual Precipitation

8.2 in

28.5 in

+20.3 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.95/gal

+22% in Phoenix, AZ

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

Adult base one-way fare — Valley Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

16.9

+11% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.44

$14.95

+33% in Phoenix, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Phoenix, AZ

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Phoenix, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Phoenix, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Phoenix, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AZ / MN)

5.6%

6.875%

+1.3 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.50%

9.85%

+7.3 pp in MN

Phoenix vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Phoenix or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Phoenix than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Phoenix versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Phoenix or St. Paul?: Phoenix is taxed under Arizona's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).