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Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

St. Cloud, MN

Cost-of-living indicators for St. Cloud, MN, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.

Reviewed byPlaincost Editorial, Cost Of Living Editorial Team · June 9, 2026

87.6
Overall RPP: #347
of 387 metros: 65.1
Rents RPP: $114K
$100K national buys

The verdict

St. Cloud costs less than 90% of U.S. metros — an overall index of 87.6, 12.4% below the national average, with rents the biggest swing at 65.1.

87.6
overall cost index (US average = 100): #347
most expensive of 387 U.S. metros: bottom 10%
by overall cost, nationwide: 65.1
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $114,114 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $87,632.

What the Numbers Mean for St. Cloud

St. Cloud ranks #347 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the bottom quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 87.6, St. Cloud, MN is 12.4% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between St. Cloud's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 65.1 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.

Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $114,114 inside St. Cloud, while a household needs roughly $87,632 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 65.1 — 34.9% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.

Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, St. Cloud's overall index has fallen by 9.7 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 95.4 and services at 88.7, meaning everyday spending in St. Cloud is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.

St. Cloud vs every U.S. metro

Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution

88 Top 90% higher than 10% of 387 US metros

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Rents

65.1
Services

88.7
Overall

87.6
Goods

95.4

What this shows St. Cloud's gap from the national average is led by rents at 65.1. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.

Goods vs. housing — where St. Cloud's cost comes from

Metros near St. Cloud's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.

Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.3, rents 56.6). St. Cloud is more housing-led than its peers — its rents run higher than its goods. These metros sit near St. Cloud's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures.

Price Index Summary

Overall

87.6

-12.4 below avg

Goods

95.4

-4.6 below avg

Services

88.7

-11.3 below avg

Rents

65.1

-34.9 below avg

Salary Equivalent

A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:

$87,632

in St. Cloud, MN purchasing power

$50,000 nationally

$43,816

$75,000 nationally

$65,724

$125,000 nationally

$109,540

$150,000 nationally

$131,448

$200,000 nationally

$175,264

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.

RPP History (2008-2024)

The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 9.7 points over this period.

Year	Overall	Goods	Services	Rents
2008	97.3	99.3	88.5	87.8
2009	92.7	96.8	89.4	70.0
2010	94.8	96.1	89.3	81.8
2011	93.8	95.2	90.8	82.2
2012	95.2	96.6	89.3	87.8
2013	95.3	96.9	91.5	84.3
2014	94.5	98.6	89.1	82.9
2015	93.4	98.2	86.8	83.0
2016	93.7	97.4	85.5	80.9
2017	90.7	95.4	90.1	70.2
2018	93.0	93.1	98.3	81.7
2019	94.6	96.5	95.6	87.5
2020	91.5	96.3	94.6	71.2
2021	87.5	94.4	98.1	58.1
2022	91.7	94.5	96.8	89.5
2023	89.3	97.0	89.4	75.0
2024	87.6	95.4	88.7	65.1

Metros with Similar Cost of Living

These metros have an overall RPP closest to St. Cloud, MN's index of 87.6.

Hattiesburg, MS 87.6 Albany, GA 87.7 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 87.7 Farmington, NM 87.7 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 87.7 Tuscaloosa, AL 87.7

Other MN Metros

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington 104.8 Mankato 91.0 Rochester 90.8 Duluth 88.8

View all MN metros →

Compare to Other Metros

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Custom Compare →

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Comparing Metro Areas

Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in St. Cloud, MN? ▼

St. Cloud, MN has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 87.6, meaning it is 12.4% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 95.4, services at 88.7, and rents at 65.1. It ranks #347 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.

What salary do I need in St. Cloud, MN to match $100K nationally? ▼

To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $87,632 in St. Cloud, MN. Conversely, $100K earned in St. Cloud, MN has the purchasing power of $114,114 at the national average.

How expensive is rent in St. Cloud, MN? ▼

Rents in St. Cloud, MN are indexed at 65.1, which is 34.9% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.

Is St. Cloud, MN getting more expensive? ▼

From 2008 to 2024, St. Cloud, MN's overall cost index changed by -9.7 points (from 97.3 to 87.6). The cost of living has been declining.

What metros have a similar cost of living to St. Cloud, MN? ▼

Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Hattiesburg, Albany, Watertown-Fort Drum. These areas have RPP values within a few points of St. Cloud, MN's 87.6.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Federal data behind these figures

BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) — the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr