Saint Paul, MN vs Madison, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Madison, WI has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Saint Paul, MN.

Saint Paul, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,500 / month
Madison, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,835 / 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 Saint Paul, MN and Madison, WI 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 Saint Paul, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $105/month in Madison, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,746 in Madison, WI

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

Overall Cost

↓ 2.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$105

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.3K

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.

Saint Paul, MN

Population:308K

Cost Index:

108.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$274K

Madison, WI

Population:270K

Cost Index:

105.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$427K

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Saint Paul, MN

The North Star State

308K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Madison, WI

The Badger State

270K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 270K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Saint Paul, MN vs Madison, WI

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	Saint Paul, MN	Madison, WI	Difference	Change
Groceries	$935/mo	$872/mo	↓ $63.56less	6.8%
Housing	$2,550/mo	$2,503/mo	↓ $47.23less	1.9%
Healthcare	$687/mo	$653/mo	↓ $33.78less	4.9%
Transportation	$1,254/mo	$1,278/mo	↑ $24.82more	2.0%
Other	$1,612/mo	$1,628/mo	↑ $15.21more	0.9%
All Utilities	$462/mo	$462/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Groceries

↓ 6.8%

Saint Paul, MN

$935

Madison, WI

$872

Difference

$63.56

less

Housing

↓ 1.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$2,550

Madison, WI

$2,503

Difference

$47.23

less

Healthcare

↓ 4.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$687

Madison, WI

$653

Difference

$33.78

less

Transportation

↑ 2.0%

Saint Paul, MN

$1,254

Madison, WI

$1,278

Difference

$24.82

Other

↑ 0.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$1,612

Madison, WI

$1,628

Difference

$15.21

All Utilities

→ 0.0%

Saint Paul, MN

$462

Madison, WI

$462

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,000

To$1,370

↑ $370

1 Bed

From$1,200

To$1,605

↑ $405

2 Bed

From$1,500

To$1,835

↑ $335

3 Bed

From$2,100

To$2,425

↑ $325

Madison, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,360–$1,840/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 Saint Paul, MN

$7,395

Monthly in Madison, WI

$105

Difference

Home Values

Saint Paul

Madison

$274K

Median Value

$427K

↓ -0.1%

YoY Change

↑ +2.3%

↑ +13.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.4%

$175K - $452K

Price Range

$359K - $534K

Homes in Madison are 56% more expensive than Saint Paul

Calculate payment - Saint Paul Calculate payment - Madison

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$132

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.1%

Rate difference

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

Madison, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Saint Paul, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Madison, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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

Saint Paul, MN

39/100

0% sidewalk tags · 3.4% cycling tags

Madison, WI

36/100

2.2% sidewalk tags · 4.9% cycling tags

Environment

Saint Paul

Madison

36 Good

Air Quality

42 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

72.1%

95 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Saint Paul, MN to Madison, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Madison, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Saint Paul, MN. 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 Saint Paul to Madison moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Madison, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Saint Paul, MN vs Madison, WI

How do the cost estimates for Saint Paul, MN and Madison, WI compare?

Madison, WI has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Saint Paul, MN. 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 Saint Paul, MN, the model estimates $148,746 in Madison, WI. 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 Saint Paul, MN and Madison, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,500/month in Saint Paul, MN and $1,835/month in Madison, WI. 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 Minnesota and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com