Minneapolis vs Des Moines
Minneapolis, MN · Des Moines, IA
Des Moines is 15% cheaper than Minneapolis overall.
Home Price
Minneapolis: $330,000
Des: $240,000
Monthly Rent
Minneapolis: $1,114/mo
Des: $850/mo
COL Index
Minneapolis: 105
Des: 89
Median Income
Minneapolis: $80,600
Des: $67,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Minneapolis has the same purchasing power as $84,762 in Des Moines — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Des Moines cost 27% more (-$90,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Des Moines saves you $264/month — $3,168 per year. Median rent: $1,114/mo in Minneapolis vs $850/mo in Des Moines.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Minneapolis owners pay roughly $3,630/year in property taxes vs $3,600/year in Des Moines. That's a $30 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $80,600 in Minneapolis and $67,200 in Des Moines. Des Moines residents earn 17% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 25 minutes in Minneapolis vs 20 minutes in Des Moines. Over a year, that's 2500 extra minutes (42 hours) of commuting in Minneapolis.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Minneapolis to Des Moines, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Minneapolis | Equivalent in Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,381 | -$7,619 |
| $75,000 | $63,571 | -$11,429 |
| $100,000 | $84,762 | -$15,238 |
| $150,000 | $127,143 | -$22,857 |
| $200,000 | $169,524 | -$30,476 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Minneapolis Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Minneapolis vs Des Moines: Common Questions
Is Minneapolis or Des Moines cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Des Moines is cheaper overall. Minneapolis has a COL index of 105 while Des Moines scores 89 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Minneapolis and Des Moines?
The median home price in Minneapolis is $330,000 vs $240,000 in Des Moines — a difference of $90,000 (27%).
What salary do I need in Des Moines to match my Minneapolis income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Minneapolis is equivalent to $84,762 in Des Moines in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Minneapolis has a lower property tax rate (1.1% vs 1.5%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,600/year vs $3,630/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.