Des Moines, IA vs Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Saint Paul, MN has a modeled overall cost index 20.0% higher than Des Moines, IA.

Des Moines, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,260 / month
Saint Paul, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,500 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Des Moines, IA and Saint Paul, MN using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Des Moines, IA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,356/month in Saint Paul, MN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $166,277 in Saint Paul, MN

Regional cost estimates: Des Moines, IA uses Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metropolitan Area. Saint Paul, MN uses Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 20.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,356

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$16.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Des Moines, IA

Population:214K

Cost Index:

90.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$228K

Saint Paul, MN

Population:308K

Cost Index:

108.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$274K

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Des Moines, IA

The Hawkeye State

214K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 214K residents.

Saint Paul, MN

The North Star State

308K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 308K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Des Moines, IA vs Saint Paul, MN

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Des Moines, IA	Saint Paul, MN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,231/mo	$3,011/mo	↑ $781more	35.0%
Other	$1,724/mo	$1,904/mo	↑ $180more	10.4%
Transportation	$1,334/mo	$1,480/mo	↑ $147more	11.0%
Groceries	$976/mo	$1,104/mo	↑ $129more	13.2%
Healthcare	$731/mo	$811/mo	↑ $79.78more	10.9%
All Utilities	$504/mo	$545/mo	↑ $41.04more	8.1%

Housing

↑ 35.0%

Des Moines, IA

$2,231

Saint Paul, MN

$3,011

Difference

$781

Other

↑ 10.4%

Des Moines, IA

$1,724

Saint Paul, MN

$1,904

Difference

$180

Transportation

↑ 11.0%

Des Moines, IA

$1,334

Saint Paul, MN

$1,480

Difference

$147

Groceries

↑ 13.2%

Des Moines, IA

$976

Saint Paul, MN

$1,104

Difference

$129

Healthcare

↑ 10.9%

Des Moines, IA

$731

Saint Paul, MN

$811

Difference

$79.78

All Utilities

↑ 8.1%

Des Moines, IA

$504

Saint Paul, MN

$545

Difference

$41.04

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,020

To$1,000

↓ $20.00

1 Bed

From$1,060

To$1,200

↑ $140

2 Bed

From$1,260

To$1,500

↑ $240

3 Bed

From$1,720

To$2,100

↑ $380

Des Moines, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,150/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Des Moines, IA

$8,856

Monthly in Saint Paul, MN

$1,356

Difference

Home Values

Des Moines

Saint Paul

$228K

Median Value

$274K

↑ +1.2%

YoY Change

↓ -0.1%

↑ +32.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +13.6%

$157K - $344K

Price Range

$175K - $452K

Homes in Saint Paul are 20% more expensive than Des Moines

Calculate payment - Des Moines Calculate payment - Saint Paul

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $272

Per year

Monthly Difference

$22.70

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

Des Moines, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Saint Paul, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Additional Tax Information

Des Moines, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

Saint Paul, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Des Moines, IA: No data yet

Saint Paul, MN

39/100

0% sidewalk tags · 3.4% cycling tags

Environment

Des Moines

Saint Paul

45 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

67.5%

Good Air Days

72.4%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

95 High

🌡☀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

Before moving from Des Moines, IA to Saint Paul, MN

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Saint Paul, MN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Des Moines, IA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Des Moines to Saint Paul moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Saint Paul, MN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Des Moines, IA vs Saint Paul, MN

How do the cost estimates for Des Moines, IA and Saint Paul, MN compare?

Saint Paul, MN has a modeled overall cost index 20.0% higher than Des Moines, IA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Des Moines, IA, the model estimates $166,277 in Saint Paul, MN. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Des Moines, IA and Saint Paul, MN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,260/month in Des Moines, IA and $1,500/month in Saint Paul, MN. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Iowa and Minnesota on TaxTakeHome.com