City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 6.7% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $106,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,743 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Provo, UT ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,713 in Provo | $106,709 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,743/yr.
90 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,743/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Provo, UT | Real change, Minneapolis → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $62,930 | $67,152 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $131,210 | $140,012 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $75,700 | $80,778 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $81,780 | $87,266 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.