City Comparison

Gulfport vs St. Paul

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Gulfport

Mississippi
83
Very Affordable
$185,000
Median Home
$1,000/mo
Median Rent
$48,000
Median Income

St. Paul

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

The Verdict

17.0%

Gulfport is 17.0% less expensive than St. Paul overall. A household earning $75,000 in Gulfport would need approximately $90,361 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
Gulfport
98
St. Paul
Groceries
95
Gulfport
103
St. Paul
Utilities
99
Gulfport
97
St. Paul
Transportation
105
Gulfport
108
St. Paul
Healthcare
98
Gulfport
105
St. Paul

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Gulfport has the same purchasing power as $90,361 in St. Paul.

Conversely, $75,000 in St. Paul equals $62,250 in Gulfport.

Living in Gulfport vs St. Paul

Housing Costs

Gulfport's housing index of 55 is lower St. Paul's 98, translating to median home prices of $185,000 vs $260,000. The $75,000 difference in home prices means roughly $4,872 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,000/mo in Gulfport compared to $1,300/mo in St. Paul, a monthly difference of $300.

Grocery & Food Costs

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

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 99 in Gulfport and 97 in St. Paul. Monthly utility bills average approximately $396 in Gulfport vs $388 in St. Paul. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 98 in Gulfport 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 $48,000 in Gulfport and $57,718 in St. Paul. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,831 and $57,718 respectively. Gulfport residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite lower nominal wages.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,120/month to housing in Gulfport vs $1,347/month in St. Paul. In Gulfport, median rent of $1,000/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

Gulfport is 17.0% more affordable overall with an index of 83 vs 100.
A $75,000 salary in Gulfport has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $90,361 in St. Paul, based on the cost of living difference.
Gulfport's housing index is 55 with median homes at $185,000, while St. Paul's is 98 with median homes at $260,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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