Austin vs St. Cloud
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Austin
St. Cloud
💡 The Verdict
St. Cloud is 3% cheaper than Austin overall. A $75,000 salary in Austin is equivalent to $72,897 in St. Cloud.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Austin (left) vs St. Cloud (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Austin versus St. Cloud. Differences shown from Austin perspective.
| Item | Austin | St. Cloud | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,280/mo | $1,110/mo | +$170.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,700/mo | $1,410/mo | +$290.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $2,180/mo | $1,940/mo | +$240.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.33 | $2.74 | $-0.41 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.02 | $4.05 | $-0.03 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.51 | $3.08 | $-0.57 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.16 | $5.44 | $-0.28 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.41 | $3.28 | +$0.13 |
| Restaurant Meal | $14.80 | $17.14 | $-2.34 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Austin has the same purchasing power as $72,897 in St. Cloud.
Conversely, $75,000 in St. Cloud equals $77,163 in Austin.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $5101 difference is driven by Minnesota having a higher state income tax rate. Texas details → · Minnesota details →
Reading These Numbers: Austin (107) vs St. Cloud (104)
Austin at 107 is 7% above the US average, while St. Cloud at 104 is 4% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Austin, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 123, followed by groceries (96), utilities (97), transportation (102), and healthcare (97). Housing is the primary cost driver here.
For renters: With median rents of $1,700/mo in Austin and $1,410/mo in St. Cloud, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,480.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $17,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $106,000.0 difference in median home prices between Austin and St. Cloud translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Austin vs St. Cloud
Choosing between Austin and St. Cloud involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Austin and St. Cloud reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.