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

Provo, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Provo versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Provo or St. Paul?

Provo is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Provo vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Provo

Utah

$1,120/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 $1,120 in Provo, UT versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Provo, UT is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,800 in Provo, UT and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 14% higher in St. Paul, MN. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Provo, UT

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,009

$995

+1% in Provo, UT

1 Bedroom

$978

$1,126

+15% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,128

$1,384

+23% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,381

$1,662

+20% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$437,100

$280,300

+36% in Provo, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$62,800

$73,055

+16% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,010

$59,320

+24% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

23.7 yr

33.5 yr

+9.8 yr in St. Paul, MN

Homeownership

39.9%

53.2%

+13.3 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

45.0%

43.5%

+1.5 pp in Provo, UT

Avg Commute

18.5 min

22.3 min

+3.8 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

205.7

619

+201% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

1,280.6

2,897.2

+126% 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

53.4°F

47.1°F

+6.3°F in Provo, UT

Annual Precipitation

19.8 in

28.5 in

+8.8 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.96/gal

+7% in Provo, UT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.4

17.5

+31% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.84

$14.79

+25% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Provo, UT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Provo, UT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Provo, UT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Provo, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (UT / MN)

6.1%

6.875%

+0.8 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

4.50%

9.85%

+5.3 pp in MN

Provo vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Provo or St. Paul?: Provo, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Provo than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Provo versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Provo or St. Paul?: Provo is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).