States › Minnesota › South St. Paul

Is South St. Paul, MN expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,43318% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$94,902about $7,909/month · 9% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$281,60015% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 62% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $57,320 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Minnesota cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Minnesota. It is number 59 of 150 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

South St. Paul
$1,433
Forest Lake
$1,778
Northfield
$1,835
New Hope
$1,604
St. Michael
$1,568
Willmar
$1,090
West St. Paul
$1,434

How much do households earn in South St. Paul?

Under $25k
11.8%
$25k–50k
15.1%
$50k–100k
42.7%
$100k–150k
20.2%
$150k+
7.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 27.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in South St. Paul

SizeSouth St. PaulU.S. average
Studio$1,441$1,338
1 bedroom$1,218$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,326$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,988$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,932$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is South St. Paul overall?

Everyday prices in Minnesota overall are 1% below the U.S. average (index 98.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
91
Goods (food, clothes…)
101
Utilities
91
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for South St. Paul, so the Minnesota figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in South St. Paul

🏛️ Property tax$3,347a year · 1.19% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$157a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in South St. Paul

Commute to work21.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree32.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home69.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South St. Paul?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $521 a month less.

Renting
$1,433
Owning
$1,954

Owning assumes a typical $281,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $28,160 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in South St. Paul, MN?

Renting in South St. Paul costs a median of about $1,433 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Minnesota median is $1,525.

How much do I need to make to live in South St. Paul?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $57,320 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is South St. Paul cheap or expensive?

South St. Paul is rated Cheap: rent takes 18.1% of the typical household income of $94,902. It ranks 59th cheapest of 150 Minnesota cities we track.

How much are property taxes in South St. Paul?

The median homeowner in South St. Paul pays $3,347 a year in property taxes, about 1.19% of the median home value.

Is South St. Paul more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Minnesota are 1% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in South St. Paul?

The median home value in South St. Paul is $281,600, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

20,611 people live in South St. Paul. Numbers are typical (middle) values.