Living Cost Compare
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,055 in St. Paul, MN and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 2% higher in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

St. Paul, MN
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$995
$1,242
+25% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,126
$1,324
+18% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,384
$1,673
+21% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,662
$1,729
+4% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$280,300
$375,300
+34% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$73,055
$71,302
+2% in St. Paul, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,320
$48,940
+17% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.5 yr
35.6 yr
+2.1 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
53.2%
50.2%
+3.0 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
43.5%
44.6%
+1.1 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
22.3 min
24.7 min
+2.4 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
619
443.2
+28% in St. Paul, MN
Property Crime
2,897.2
1,473.2
+49% 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
47.1°F
73.4°F
+26.3°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
28.5 in
46.3 in
+17.8 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.95/gal
$3.77/gal
+5% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Minnesota vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.9
15.2
+11% in St. Paul, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$14.95
$23.62
+58% in Tampa, FL

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 Tampa, FL
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 / FL)
6.875%
6%
+0.9 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
9.85%
None
+9.8 pp in MN

St. Paul vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or Tampa?
St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Paul than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or Tampa?
St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).