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 | San Marcos | St. Paul | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,251/mo | $1,174/mo | 6.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $248,300 | $264,900 | 6.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $47,394 | $69,919 | 32.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.2 | 101.0 | 5.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 85.9 | 93.0 | 7.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.5 | 102.2 | 4.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.8 | 102.8 | 6.8% 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 San Marcos, you'd need $100,029 in St. Paul to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
San Marcos and St. Paul have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in St. Paul than in San Marcos. If you earn $80,000 in San Marcos, you'd need about $80,023 in St. Paul to keep the same standard of living.