CostIndexUSA

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

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

WA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent
More AffordableMN
St. Cloud
87.6
overall index
$1,175/mo rent

St. Cloud is significantly cheaper than Olympia — 15.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Olympia, you would need $67,600 in St. Cloud. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing−44.2%
Olympia
116.7
St. Cloud
65.1
🛒 Groceries−9.1%
Olympia
105
St. Cloud
95.4
🚗 Transportation−7.3%
Olympia
104.4
St. Cloud
96.8
🏥 Healthcare−7.3%
Olympia
94.5
St. Cloud
87.6
⚡ Utilities−3.3%
Olympia
91.7
St. Cloud
88.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in St. Cloud, MN
$67,600
$12,400 less needed in St. Cloud

Formula: salary × (87.6 ÷ 103.7) = salary × 0.8447. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Olympia, WA

Median Home Price
$518,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,025
Housing Index
116.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.3×

St. Cloud, MN

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

Olympia has 44.2% lower housing costs compared to St. Cloud.

Income & Job Market

Olympia, WA

Median Household Income
$93,200
Per Capita Income
$53,100
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
53,532
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationRetailManufacturing

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).

Olympia, WA
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

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

81% of income left after rent (median)

Olympia vs other cities

Olympia, WA
vs
Bellingham, WA
Index: 103.7Index: 103.3
Olympia, WA
vs
Bremerton, WA
Index: 103.7Index: 105.6
Olympia, WA
vs
Kennewick, WA
Index: 103.7Index: 100.1
Olympia, WA
vs
Bozeman, MT
Index: 103.7Index: 102.5
Olympia, WA
vs
Pensacola, FL
Index: 103.7Index: 97.7

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.