Question 1

Is Denver or Minneapolis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $472/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,709/mo in Minneapolis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Minneapolis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,000/year before tax in Denver, CO and $75,000/year in Minneapolis, MN — a difference of about $9,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or Minneapolis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Minneapolis, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $8,304/month in Denver 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 Denver 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	Denver57	Minneapolis53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,471	$3,999
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,304	$7,554
Salary for comfort	$84,000/yr	$75,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,709
Median home value	$586,700	$345,600
Median household income	$91,681	$80,269
Unemployment	3.8%	4.1%
Housing score	32	62
Jobs score	41	29
Safety score	35	11
Climate score	93	74
Amenities score	64	64
Population	713.7K	426.8K
Summer high / winter low	92° / 20°	86° / 8°

Denver, CO vs Minneapolis, MN