Is Albuquerque cheaper than St Paul?

No. St Paul is cheaper: typical rent is $1,232 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 16% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $72,400 in St Paul, so St Paul has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Albuquerque or St Paul?

St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 56% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or St Paul?

School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in St Paul. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs St Paul, MN

Albuquerque, NM versus St Paul, MN is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,464 a month in Albuquerque and $1,232 in St Paul, and median household income lands at $61,503 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Albuquerque takes weather, while St Paul takes affordability, job market, and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where St Paul leads by 56% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Albuquerque can feel further apart than Albuquerque and St Paul do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and St Paul reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Albuquerque report Full St Paul report

Albuquerque, NM

Rent: $1,464/mo
Median income: $61,503
Crime index: 179
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

St Paul, MN

Rent: $1,232/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 78
Schools: A-
Weather: —

Rent

16% cheaper

St Paul rent is 16% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,464/mo

St Paul

Winner

$1,232/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,232 a month in St Paul versus $1,464 in Albuquerque, so St Paul is 16% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,784 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. St Paul still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Albuquerque.

Median income

18% higher

St Paul's median income is 18% higher than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$61,503

St Paul

Winner

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $72,400 in St Paul versus $61,503 in Albuquerque, so typical pay runs 18% higher in St Paul — about $10,897 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, St Paul is the stronger labor market on paper. Albuquerque can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

56% lower crime

St Paul's crime index is 56% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

St Paul

Winner

78 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

St Paul's crime index is 78 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 56% lower in St Paul. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, St Paul is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Albuquerque and St Paul are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

St Paul

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in St Paul). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

15% more comfortable

Albuquerque weather is 15% more comfortable than St Paul

Albuquerque

Winner

86°F typical

St Paul

Comfort 52/100

What this means for your life

Albuquerque scores 15% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; St Paul reads as a mixed climate. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want St Paul's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Albuquerque is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Albuquerque

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Pick Albuquerque if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (86°F) beat St Paul on this page's weather index by 15%. St Paul may pay more or cost less, but Albuquerque is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose St Paul

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

St Paul is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 16% cheaper here at about $1,232 a month. Choose St Paul if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

St Paul is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 18% higher here ($72,400). Start with St Paul if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

St Paul is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 56% lower than Albuquerque (78 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the St Paul report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs St Paul, called

If safety is your priority, St Paul is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Albuquerque pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, St Paul offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Albuquerque vs St Paul FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than St Paul?: No. St Paul is cheaper: typical rent is $1,232 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 16% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $72,400 in St Paul, so St Paul has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or St Paul?: St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 56% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or St Paul?: School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in St Paul. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to St Paul?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps