Moving to Minnesota from Georgia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Georgia to Minnesota? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Georgia to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 4.7% more expensive than Georgia. A $75,000 salary in Georgia would need to be roughly $73,632 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Saint Paul averages 56°F vs 72°F in Atlanta, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Georgia and Minnesota.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,632

To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.5% more

Groceries

pay 9.2% more

Transportation

pay 1.1% more

Housing

pay 13.6% less

Childcare

pay 14.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Minnesota compared to Georgia.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
343
MN
257
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
1779
MN
1675

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

GA
11.8%
MN
4.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

GA
37.0%
MN
33.9%

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

GA
$272,900
MN
$305,500
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

GA
$1,306
MN
$1,235

Minnesota generally does better on what about housing?, though Georgia leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

GA
89.5%
MN
91.0%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

GA
28 min
MN
23 min

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GA
3.3%
MN
4.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GA
$61,706
MN
$68,478

Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though Georgia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

GA
75.6 yrs
MN
79.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

GA
22%
MN
26%

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Atlanta Rain: 49.7 in/yr (1263 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Saint Paul Rain: 28.5 in/yr (724 mm)
56° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Atlanta Saint Paul
Jan–Mar 58°/39°F (14°/4°C) 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 69°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 64°/45°F (17°/7°C) 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Atlanta Saint Paul
Jan 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.3°C) 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C)
Feb 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.2°C) 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C)
Mar 65°/44°F (18.1°/6.7°C) 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C)
Apr 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.8°C) 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C)
May 80°/60°F (26.6°/15.7°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.7°/21.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C)
Aug 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C)
Sep 82°/65°F (27.9°/18.2°C) 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C)
Oct 73°/54°F (22.6°/12.2°C) 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.9°C) 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C)
Dec 54°/36°F (12.2°/2.5°C) 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Minnesota than Georgia?

Minnesota and Georgia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?

Budget about $18,408 for 3 months in Minnesota (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Minnesota safe?

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to Georgia?

Minnesota performs significantly better than Georgia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Minnesota compared to Georgia?

The average high temperature in Saint Paul is 56°F, compared to 72°F in Atlanta. Saint Paul receives around 28.5 in of rainfall per year, while Atlanta gets 49.7 in.

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