Living Cost Compare
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 18% 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 $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 25% higher in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

St. Paul, MN
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$995
$795
+20% in St. Paul, MN
1 Bedroom
$1,126
$891
+21% in St. Paul, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,384
$1,146
+17% in St. Paul, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,662
$1,520
+9% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$280,300
$242,200
+14% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$73,055
$54,546
+25% in St. Paul, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,320
$47,760
+19% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.5 yr
34.6 yr
+1.1 yr in Tucson, AZ
Homeownership
53.2%
51.7%
+1.5 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
43.5%
30.2%
+13.3 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
22.3 min
22.2 min
+0.1 min in St. Paul, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
619
645.8
+4% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
2,897.2
3,460
+19% in Tucson, AZ

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
70.2°F
+23.1°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
28.5 in
11.6 in
+16.9 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.95/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Minnesota vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.9
15.2
+10% in St. Paul, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$14.95
$22.44
+50% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Tucson, AZ
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Tucson, AZ
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in St. Paul, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Tucson, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in St. Paul, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / AZ)
6.875%
5.6%
+1.3 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
9.85%
2.50%
+7.3 pp in MN

St. Paul vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% 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 Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or Tucson?
St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).