Popular cities
Los Angeles vs Minneapolis cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐บ๐ธ Minneapolis
At a glance
- Where Minneapolis is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (36%โ), Taxi (33%โ), Studio rent (month) (33%โ)
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Street food (15%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Minneapolis is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Los Angeles 2 vs Minneapolis 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | Minneapolis | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | $ 21$21 | Los Angeles โ14% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | $ 13$13 | Los Angeles โ15% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | $ 42$42 | Minneapolis โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 6.1$6.1 | Los Angeles โ10% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | $ 7$7 | Minneapolis โ22% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | $ 14$14 | Minneapolis โ18% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | $ 2$2 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | $ 12$12 | Minneapolis โ33% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | $ 7$7 | Minneapolis โ30% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | $ 2$2 | Los Angeles โ12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | $ 30$30 | Minneapolis โ14% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | $ 150$150 | Minneapolis โ25% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | $ 1,400$1,400 | Minneapolis โ33% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | $ 3.5$3.5 | Minneapolis โ12% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | $ 28$28 | Minneapolis โ7% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | $ 80$80 | Los Angeles โ6% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | $ 55$55 | Minneapolis โ27% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | $ 18$18 | Minneapolis โ36% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or Minneapolis?
Minneapolis is 20% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $368 vs $301; a month $7,222 vs $5,585.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or Minneapolis?
Minneapolis is easier: Minneapolis 1.4/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and Minneapolis?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and Minneapolis about $5,585 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.