City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Mankato | St. Paul | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,023/mo | $1,174/mo | 12.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $236,200 | $264,900 | 10.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,726 | $69,919 | 11.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.7 | 101.0 | 5.3% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.5 | 93.0 | 4.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 93.6 | 102.2 | 8.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.3 | 102.8 | 8.3% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Mankato, you'd need $117,086 in St. Paul to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mankato, MN is about 14.6% cheaper overall than St. Paul, MN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 24% lower in Mankato than in St. Paul. If you earn $80,000 in Mankato, you'd need about $93,669 in St. Paul to keep the same standard of living.