How Much Does It Cost to Live In Minneapolis, MN?
Minneapolis is part of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.
It’s also the largest city in Minnesota, counting over 400,000 people.
Minnesota is also known for its very harsh weather.
It offers two extremes for sure, bitter cold winters but at the same time 4 to 6 months of mild to warm summers.
There are many attributes to living in Minneapolis and one of them is the diverse arts scene.
The four main lakes in the city are all easily accessible, and have great facilities for everything from sailing, swimming, paddle boats, fishing, etc.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
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- Arlington, TX
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- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
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- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
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- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
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- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
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- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
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- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
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- Las Vegas, NV
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- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
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- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
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- Salt Lake City, UT
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- Seattle, WA
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- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
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- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
There are lots of great restaurants in Minneapolis and a thriving foodie scene.
The food and restaurant options in town are amazing and you could say their best restaurants are on the same level as any other city in the western hemisphere.
The prices are relatively the same as anywhere else in America: a delicious meal in an inexpensive restaurant will cost you around 18$.
MARKETS
Indian, East Asian, Latino, African, and middle eastern grocery stores can be found scattered all around the city.
Groceries, in general, are cheap, and there are all the regular supermarkets as in other cities.
Whole Foods is more expensive, as per usual, but it’s still cheaper than eating out all the time.
TRANSPORTATION
Public transportation is not very good in Minneapolis so you will probably need a car.
The routes and fares are confusing to non-natives and rather complicated.
The Metro Transit website, however, is easier to understand. Biking in Minneapolis is a legitimate means of transportation in Minneapolis and a huge deal.
Over the years, the city has invested heavily in bike trails, lanes, and “bicycle boulevards,” and a huge number of citizens use bicycles to get around.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are not too expensive in Minneapolis, if you look at the price of all included utilities for an apartment of a larger structure (85m2): for such an apartment, all basic utilities – including electricity, along with heating and cooling, water, gas, and garbage services – costs around 142$.
Internet is pretty pricey though, amounting to almost 62$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
The city has an amazing park system and you can get just about anywhere on a bike path/dedicated bike lane.
The city offers amazing areas to exercise and great air quality like no other city, so you can exercise outdoors for free all the time!
If that’s not your cup of tea, you can pay for a gym, but it is rather expensive: over 82$ a month.
CLOTHING & SHOES
In the Uptown area, you’ll find all kinds of retailers and shops, and there are also many, many malls.
If you’re looking for one in the city center, Nicollet Mall is a pedestrian mall right in the heart of downtown.
Generally speaking, though, the prices of clothing are reasonable: quality jeans cost around 60$ and quality sneakers around 85$.
RENT PER MONTH
Minneapolis is the #39th most expensive city in America if we’re looking at prices for a one-bedroom apartment, offering them at 1120$ and the 38th most expensive for a two-bedroom apartment at 1,540$.
It’s more expensive to live here than in Dallas or Knoxville, but you can buy a house with a yard for a lot less than Seattle or Chicago.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Minneapolis, MN
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $18.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $7.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.98 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.91 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.60 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.54 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $2.5 |
| Monthly Pass | $90.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.95 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $142.52 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.22 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $61.39 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $82.17 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $24.00 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $15.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $60.82 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $41.8 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $86.80 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1540.81 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1122.43 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2776.43 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Minneapolis, MN?
Rent is, without a doubt, the biggest expense of anyone living in Minneapolis, along with food.
With almost 40% of one’s entire income being spent on rent, it is definitely one of the most expensive aspects of living in this city, if not the most expensive one.
Food and groceries take up the second place of all expenses.
Apart from food and rent, people spend a lot of money on transportation and restaurants, and though among lesser expenses – utilities are also a noticeable financial burden for an average person living in Minneapolis.
Average Costs Breakdown
Minneapolis, MN: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
There’s an outstanding and robust job market in the city of Minneapolis.
It’s home to a lot of Fortune 100 companies and the job market is usually in pretty good shape.
The minimum wage of Minneapolis which amounts to around 1900$ is still a reasonable amount of money that just goes in line with the high standard of the United States, especially taking into consideration that the prices here are lower than the country’s average.
If you’re planning on going to Minneapolis for a period of time, it would be best to bring around 2000$ which would cover your basic expenses.
Minneapolis Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Minneapolis Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
