CostIndexUSA

Bellingham, WA vs St. Cloud, MN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

WA
Bellingham
103.3
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
More AffordableMN
St. Cloud
87.6
overall index
$1,175/mo rent

St. Cloud is significantly cheaper than Bellingham — 15.2% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Bellingham, you would need $67,800 in St. Cloud. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing−42.3%
Bellingham
112.9
St. Cloud
65.1
🛒 Groceries−9.1%
Bellingham
105
St. Cloud
95.4
🚗 Transportation−7.3%
Bellingham
104.4
St. Cloud
96.8
🏥 Healthcare−7.3%
Bellingham
94.5
St. Cloud
87.6
⚡ Utilities−11.2%
Bellingham
99.9
St. Cloud
88.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bellingham to see what you'd need to earn in St. Cloud to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in St. Cloud, MN
$67,800
$12,200 less needed in St. Cloud

Formula: salary × (87.6 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 0.8480. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Home Price
$598,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
112.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.6×

St. Cloud, MN

Median Home Price
$302,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,175
Housing Index
65.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.4×

Bellingham has 42.3% lower housing costs compared to St. Cloud.

Income & Job Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Household Income
$74,900
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
92,314
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingTourism

St. Cloud, MN

Median Household Income
$74,000
Per Capita Income
$42,200
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
67,984
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingEducationRetailTechnology

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Bellingham, WA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

St. Cloud, MN
5.2×income-to-rent ratio

81% of income left after rent (median)

Bellingham vs other cities

Bellingham, WA
vs
Bremerton, WA
Index: 103.3Index: 105.6
Bellingham, WA
vs
Kennewick, WA
Index: 103.3Index: 100.1
Bellingham, WA
vs
Mount Vernon, WA
Index: 103.3Index: 102.4
Bellingham, WA
vs
Asheville, NC
Index: 103.3Index: 96.5
Bellingham, WA
vs
Redding, CA
Index: 103.3Index: 100.7

St. Cloud vs other cities

St. Cloud, MN
vs
Duluth, MN
Index: 87.6Index: 88.8
St. Cloud, MN
vs
Minneapolis, MN
Index: 87.6Index: 104.8
St. Cloud, MN
vs
Rochester, MN
Index: 87.6Index: 90.8
St. Cloud, MN
vs
Johnson City, TN
Index: 87.6Index: 87.9
St. Cloud, MN
vs
Portland, ME
Index: 87.6Index: 101.9

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.