Living Cost Compare
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,290/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in St. Paul, MN versus $1,290 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, San Antonio, TX is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,055 in St. Paul, MN and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 14% higher in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

St. Paul, MN
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$995
$1,052
+6% in San Antonio, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,126
$1,084
+4% in St. Paul, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,384
$1,327
+4% in St. Paul, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,662
$1,545
+7% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$280,300
$219,700
+22% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$73,055
$62,917
+14% in St. Paul, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,320
$47,010
+21% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.5 yr
34.6 yr
+1.1 yr in San Antonio, TX
Homeownership
53.2%
52.4%
+0.8 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
43.5%
28.7%
+14.8 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
22.3 min
24.6 min
+2.3 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
619
605.7
+2% in St. Paul, MN
Property Crime
2,897.2
4,665.7
+61% in San Antonio, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
47.1°F
68.5°F
+21.4°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
28.5 in
34.9 in
+6.3 in in San Antonio, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.95/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Minnesota vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.30

Adult base one-way fare — — vs VIA Metropolitan Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.9
16.4
+3% in St. Paul, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$14.95
$30.48
+104% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in St. Paul, MN
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in San Antonio, TX
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in St. Paul, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in St. Paul, MN
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in St. Paul, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / TX)
6.875%
6.25%
+0.6 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
9.85%
None
+9.8 pp in MN

St. Paul vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or San Antonio?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,290 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Paul than in San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or San Antonio?
St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).