City Comparison

Evansville vs St. Paul

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Evansville

Indiana
80
Very Affordable
$170,000
Median Home
$850/mo
Median Rent
$48,600
Median Income

St. Paul

Minnesota
100
Average
$260,000
Median Home
$1,300/mo
Median Rent
$57,718
Median Income

The Verdict

20.0%

Evansville is 20.0% less expensive than St. Paul overall. A household earning $75,000 in Evansville would need approximately $93,750 in St. Paul to maintain the same standard of living.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
55
Evansville
98
St. Paul
Groceries
95
Evansville
103
St. Paul
Utilities
105
Evansville
97
St. Paul
Transportation
98
Evansville
108
St. Paul
Healthcare
105
Evansville
105
St. Paul

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Evansville has the same purchasing power as $93,750 in St. Paul.

Conversely, $75,000 in St. Paul equals $60,000 in Evansville.

Living in Evansville vs St. Paul

Housing Costs

Evansville's housing index of 55 is lower St. Paul's 98, translating to median home prices of $170,000 vs $260,000. The $90,000 difference in home prices means roughly $5,856 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $850/mo in Evansville compared to $1,300/mo in St. Paul, a monthly difference of $450.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 95 in Evansville and 103 in St. Paul. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $451/month in Evansville vs $489/month in St. Paul. Evansville offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $456/year.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 105 in Evansville and 97 in St. Paul. Monthly utility bills average approximately $420 in Evansville vs $388 in St. Paul. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 105 in Evansville and 105 in St. Paul. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $48,600 in Evansville and $57,718 in St. Paul. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $60,750 and $57,718 respectively. Evansville residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite lower nominal wages.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,134/month to housing in Evansville vs $1,347/month in St. Paul. In Evansville, median rent of $850/mo fits within this budget. In St. Paul, median rent of $1,300/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 43 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Evansville is 20.0% more affordable overall with an index of 80 vs 100.
A $75,000 salary in Evansville has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $93,750 in St. Paul, based on the cost of living difference.
Evansville's housing index is 55 with median homes at $170,000, while St. Paul's is 98 with median homes at $260,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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