Question 1

Is Cincinnati or Saint Paul cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Cincinnati, OH is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $131/month less than in Saint Paul, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,353/mo in Cincinnati versus $1,248/mo in Saint Paul.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Cincinnati vs Saint Paul?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $67,000/year before tax in Cincinnati, OH and $71,000/year in Saint Paul, MN — a difference of about $4,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Cincinnati or Saint Paul cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Cincinnati, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,267/month in Cincinnati and $10,204/month in Saint Paul, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Cincinnati or Saint Paul?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Cincinnati 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	Cincinnati64	Saint Paul61
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,703	$3,834
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,267	$10,204
Salary for comfort	$67,000/yr	$71,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,353	$1,248
Median home value	$215,300	$280,300
Median household income	$51,707	$73,055
Unemployment	4.0%	4.4%
Housing score	46	77
Jobs score	78	37
Safety score	19	48
Climate score	93	61
Amenities score	58	47
Population	309.6K	307.8K
Summer high / winter low	87° / 22°	83° / 9°

Cincinnati, OH vs Saint Paul, MN