$40K in New York = $20,749 in St. Paul

Your $40K salary in New York (COL 187) has the same purchasing power as $20,749 in St. Paul (COL 97). St. Paul is cheaper — your money goes 48% further there.

$40K in New York, NY
$2,498/mo take-home
Rent: $3,500/mo (140% of take-home)
Difficult
$20,749/yr in St. Paul, MN
$1,244/mo take-home
Rent: $1,500/mo (121% of take-home)
Difficult

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
New York
$40K
St. Paul
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,498$2,398
1BR rent$3,500$1,500
Groceries$437$384
Transport$132$95
Utilities$180$195
Internet$75$63
Left after essentials-$1,826/month$161/month
To match your New York purchasing power in St. Paul, you'd need to earn $20,749/year (48% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $-993/mo left after essentials — vs $-1,826/mo in New York.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in New York equivalent to in St. Paul?

$40K in New York (COL index 187) has the same purchasing power as $20,749 in St. Paul (COL index 97). That's 48% less than your current salary.

If I move from New York to St. Paul keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to St. Paul, you'd have $1,987 more per month after core expenses — because St. Paul is cheaper than New York.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $40K × (97 ÷ 187) = $20,749. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — New York to St. Paul

$50K → $25,936$60K → $31,123$75K → $38,904$80K → $41,497$100K → $51,872$120K → $62,246$150K → $77,807
$40K in St. Paul → New YorkMoving from New York to St. PaulNew York vs St. Paul — full comparisonCan I afford New York vs St. Paul on $40K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only