Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or Santa Fe?

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.

Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or Santa Fe?

St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

St. Paul vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/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 $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Santa Fe, NM, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,055 in St. Paul, MN and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 4% higher in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

St. Paul, MN

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$995

$969

+3% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,126

$1,167

+4% in Santa Fe, NM

2 Bedroom

$1,384

$1,559

+13% in Santa Fe, NM

3 Bedroom

$1,662

$1,733

+4% in Santa Fe, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$280,300

$411,500

+47% in Santa Fe, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$73,055

$70,110

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$59,320

$48,710

+18% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.5 yr

46.4 yr

+12.9 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

53.2%

62.8%

+9.6 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

43.5%

45.4%

+1.9 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Avg Commute

22.3 min

20.2 min

+2.1 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

619

843.3

+36% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

2,897.2

5,189

+79% in Santa Fe, NM

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

51.9°F

+4.8°F in Santa Fe, NM

Annual Precipitation

28.5 in

13.5 in

+15.0 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.95/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Minnesota vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.9

14.1

+17% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$14.95

$11.90

+20% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Santa Fe, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Santa Fe, NM

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Santa Fe, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Santa Fe, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / NM)

6.875%

4.875%

+2.0 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.85%

5.90%

+3.9 pp in MN

St. Paul vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or Santa Fe?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Santa Fe, NM's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Paul than in Santa Fe?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $47,000 in Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or Santa Fe?: St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).