Omaha, NE vs Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Saint Paul, MN has a modeled overall cost index 18.7% higher than Omaha, NE.

Omaha, NE · modeled 2BR rent: $1,450 / 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 Omaha, NE 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 Omaha, NE

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,253/month in Saint Paul, MN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $165,034 in Saint Paul, MN

Regional cost estimates: Omaha, NE uses Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-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

↑ 18.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,253

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$15.0K

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.

Omaha, NE

Population:486K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$282K

Saint Paul, MN

Population:308K

Cost Index:

108.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$274K

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Omaha, NE

The Cornhusker State

486K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Nebraska, this city has a population of 486K 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: Omaha, NE 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	Omaha, NE	Saint Paul, MN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,232/mo	$2,976/mo	↑ $744more	33.3%
Other	$1,722/mo	$1,882/mo	↑ $160more	9.3%
Transportation	$1,318/mo	$1,463/mo	↑ $145more	11.0%
Groceries	$1,007/mo	$1,091/mo	↑ $84.77more	8.4%
Healthcare	$723/mo	$802/mo	↑ $78.84more	10.9%
All Utilities	$498/mo	$539/mo	↑ $40.56more	8.1%

Housing

↑ 33.3%

Omaha, NE

$2,232

Saint Paul, MN

$2,976

Difference

$744

Other

↑ 9.3%

Omaha, NE

$1,722

Saint Paul, MN

$1,882

Difference

$160

Transportation

↑ 11.0%

Omaha, NE

$1,318

Saint Paul, MN

$1,463

Difference

$145

Groceries

↑ 8.4%

Omaha, NE

$1,007

Saint Paul, MN

$1,091

Difference

$84.77

Healthcare

↑ 10.9%

Omaha, NE

$723

Saint Paul, MN

$802

Difference

$78.84

All Utilities

↑ 8.1%

Omaha, NE

$498

Saint Paul, MN

$539

Difference

$40.56

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,160

To$1,000

↓ $160

1 Bed

From$1,220

To$1,200

↓ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,450

To$1,500

↑ $50.00

3 Bed

From$1,920

To$2,100

↑ $180

Omaha, NEZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,720/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 Omaha, NE

$8,753

Monthly in Saint Paul, MN

$1,253

Difference

Home Values

Omaha

Saint Paul

$282K

Median Value

$274K

↑ +1.2%

YoY Change

↓ -0.1%

↑ +31.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +13.6%

$129K - $441K

Price Range

$175K - $452K

Homes in Saint Paul are 3% less expensive than Omaha

Calculate payment - Omaha Calculate payment - Saint Paul

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$91.32

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Omaha, NE

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Nebraska State Tax

Effective: 6.2%

$9.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.9%

$46.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,638/month

$103.7K

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

Omaha, NE Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:1.8%

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

Omaha, NE

30/100

0.7% sidewalk tags · 0.9% cycling tags

Saint Paul, MN

39/100

0% sidewalk tags · 3.4% cycling tags

Environment

Omaha

Saint Paul

45 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

72.4%

96 High

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

35 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

35 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

Before moving from Omaha, NE 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 Omaha, NE. 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 Omaha 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: Omaha, NE vs Saint Paul, MN

How do the cost estimates for Omaha, NE and Saint Paul, MN compare?

Saint Paul, MN has a modeled overall cost index 18.7% higher than Omaha, NE. 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 Omaha, NE, the model estimates $165,034 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 Omaha, NE and Saint Paul, MN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,450/month in Omaha, NE 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 Nebraska and Minnesota on TaxTakeHome.com