St. Charles, MN vs Cold Spring, MN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Cold Spring, MN has a modeled overall cost index 5.5% higher than St. Charles, MN.

St. Charles, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,210 / month
Cold Spring, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,360 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare St. Charles, MN and Cold Spring, 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 St. Charles, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $299/month in Cold Spring, MN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,582 in Cold Spring, MN

Regional cost estimates: St. Charles, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. Cold Spring, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 5.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$299

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$3.6K

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.

St. Charles, MN

Population:4K

Cost Index:

85.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$341K

Cold Spring, MN

Population:4K

Cost Index:

90.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$362K

Planning the move to Cold Spring?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

St. Charles, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 4K residents.

Cold Spring, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 4K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: St. Charles, MN vs Cold Spring, 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	St. Charles, MN	Cold Spring, MN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,258/mo	$2,405/mo	↑ $147more	6.5%
Other	$1,601/mo	$1,689/mo	↑ $88.81more	5.5%
Transportation	$1,281/mo	$1,314/mo	↑ $32.80more	2.6%
Groceries	$1,059/mo	$1,073/mo	↑ $13.48more	1.3%
Healthcare	$778/mo	$788/mo	↑ $9.90more	1.3%
All Utilities	$523/mo	$530/mo	↑ $6.66more	1.3%

Housing

↑ 6.5%

St. Charles, MN

$2,258

Cold Spring, MN

$2,405

Difference

$147

Other

↑ 5.5%

St. Charles, MN

$1,601

Cold Spring, MN

$1,689

Difference

$88.81

Transportation

↑ 2.6%

St. Charles, MN

$1,281

Cold Spring, MN

$1,314

Difference

$32.80

Groceries

↑ 1.3%

St. Charles, MN

$1,059

Cold Spring, MN

$1,073

Difference

$13.48

Healthcare

↑ 1.3%

St. Charles, MN

$778

Cold Spring, MN

$788

Difference

$9.90

All Utilities

↑ 1.3%

St. Charles, MN

$523

Cold Spring, MN

$530

Difference

$6.66

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$900

To$990

↑ $90.00

1 Bed

From$1,000

To$1,040

↑ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,210

To$1,360

↑ $150

3 Bed

From$1,700

To$1,810

↑ $110

St. Charles, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,000–$1,000/mo

Cold Spring, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,040–$1,040/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 St. Charles, MN

$7,799

Monthly in Cold Spring, MN

$299

Difference

Home Values

St. Charles

Cold Spring

$341K

Median Value

$362K

↑ +2%

YoY Change

↑ +3.5%

↑ +36.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.9%

Homes in Cold Spring are 6% more expensive than St. Charles

Calculate payment - St. Charles Calculate payment - Cold Spring

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

St. Charles, 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

Cold Spring, 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

St. Charles, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Cold Spring, 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.

Environment

St. Charles

Cold Spring

36 Good

Air Quality

42 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

66.4%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.6°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.6°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

Before moving from St. Charles, MN to Cold Spring, MN

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Cold Spring, MN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in St. Charles, 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 St. Charles to Cold Spring moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: St. Charles, MN vs Cold Spring, MN

How do the cost estimates for St. Charles, MN and Cold Spring, MN compare?

Cold Spring, MN has a modeled overall cost index 5.5% higher than St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MN, the model estimates $153,582 in Cold Spring, 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 St. Charles, MN and Cold Spring, MN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,210/month in St. Charles, MN and $1,360/month in Cold Spring, 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.

Similar cost to Cold Spring, MN

Other cities in a similar price range

Raleigh, NC Charlotte, NC Dallas, TX

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison