Question 1

Is Boston or Minneapolis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $2,124/month less than in Boston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,941/mo in Boston versus $1,709/mo in Minneapolis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Boston vs Minneapolis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Boston, MA and $75,000/year in Minneapolis, MN — a difference of about $47,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Boston or Minneapolis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Minneapolis, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $10,978/month in Boston and $7,554/month in Minneapolis, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Boston or Minneapolis?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Minneapolis costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Boston51	Minneapolis53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,123	$3,999
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$10,978	$7,554
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$75,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,941	$1,709
Median home value	$710,400	$345,600
Median household income	$94,755	$80,269
Unemployment	4.1%	4.1%
Housing score	10	62
Jobs score	32	29
Safety score	86	11
Climate score	86	74
Amenities score	70	64
Population	664K	426.8K
Summer high / winter low	81° / 22°	86° / 8°

Boston, MA vs Minneapolis, MN