CostIndexUSA

Boston, MA vs St. Paul, MN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

MA
Boston
108.3
overall index
$3,050/mo rent
More AffordableMN
St. Paul
104.8
overall index
$1,675/mo rent

St. Paul is slightly cheaper than Boston — 3.2% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Boston, you would need $77,400 in St. Paul. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing−24.7%
Boston
148.4
St. Paul
111.8
🛒 Groceries+3.4%
Boston
99.7
St. Paul
103.1
🚗 Transportation+0.7%
Boston
108.8
St. Paul
109.6
🏥 Healthcare+0.8%
Boston
98.4
St. Paul
99.2
⚡ Utilities−37.2%
Boston
148.8
St. Paul
93.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Boston to see what you'd need to earn in St. Paul to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in St. Paul, MN
$77,400
$2,600 less needed in St. Paul

Formula: salary × (104.8 ÷ 108.3) = salary × 0.9677. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Boston, MA

Median Home Price
$709,000
Median Monthly Rent
$3,050
Housing Index
148.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

St. Paul, MN

Median Home Price
$374,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,675
Housing Index
111.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.6×

Boston has 24.7% lower housing costs compared to St. Paul.

Income & Job Market

Boston, MA

Median Household Income
$110,700
Per Capita Income
$63,100
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
692,600
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationFinanceTechnologyBiotechnology

St. Paul, MN

Median Household Income
$95,100
Per Capita Income
$54,200
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
311,527
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceEducationGovernmentManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Boston, MA
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

St. Paul, MN
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Boston vs other cities

Boston, MA
vs
Springfield, MA
Index: 108.3Index: 96.1
Boston, MA
vs
Worcester, MA
Index: 108.3Index: 102.5
Boston, MA
vs
Washington, DC
Index: 108.3Index: 108.9
Boston, MA
vs
Nashville, TN
Index: 108.3Index: 96.3
Boston, MA
vs
Oklahoma City, OK
Index: 108.3Index: 90.4

St. Paul vs other cities

St. Paul, MN
vs
Duluth, MN
Index: 104.8Index: 88.8
St. Paul, MN
vs
Minneapolis, MN
Index: 104.8Index: 104.8
St. Paul, MN
vs
Rochester, MN
Index: 104.8Index: 90.8
St. Paul, MN
vs
Newark, NJ
Index: 104.8Index: 112.6
St. Paul, MN
vs
Santa Ana, CA
Index: 104.8Index: 113.6

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.