Question 1

Is Des Moines or Minneapolis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Des Moines, IA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $261/month less than in Minneapolis, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,318/mo in Des Moines versus $1,709/mo in Minneapolis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Des Moines vs Minneapolis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $67,500/year before tax in Des Moines, IA and $75,000/year in Minneapolis, MN — a difference of about $7,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Des Moines or Minneapolis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Des Moines, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,993/month in Des Moines 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 Des Moines or Minneapolis?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Des Moines 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	Des Moines69	Minneapolis53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,738	$3,999
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,993	$7,554
Salary for comfort	$67,500/yr	$75,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,318	$1,709
Median home value	$183,700	$345,600
Median household income	$63,966	$80,269
Unemployment	3.3%	4.1%
Housing score	86	62
Jobs score	84	29
Safety score	30	11
Climate score	81	74
Amenities score	38	64
Population	212.5K	426.8K
Summer high / winter low	86° / 14°	86° / 8°

Des Moines, IA vs Minneapolis, MN