Moving to California from Minnesota
What to Expect
Considering a move from Minnesota to California? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Minnesota to California, you would find that California is 21.5% more expensive than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly $95,227 in California to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sacramento averages 74°F vs 56°F in Saint Paul, making it significantly warmer. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Minnesota and California. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $95,227 To maintain the same standard of living in California How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 12.5% more Groceries pay 12.1% more Transportation pay 17.6% more Housing pay 52.7% more Childcare pay 31.9% more Entertainment and Sports pay 15.2% more Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. The numbers behind daily life in California compared to Minnesota. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Minnesota performs better than California across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though California leads in adult obesity rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Minnesota performs better than California across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Minnesota generally does better on infrastructure, though California leads in internet access. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though California leads in gdp per capita. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Minnesota performs better than California 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: On average California is around 27% pricier than Minnesota, with notable variation by city. Budget about $23,807 for 3 months in California (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit. Minnesota performs better than California across all safety metrics. Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though California leads in adult obesity rate. The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Saint Paul Sacramento Jan–Mar 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) Apr–Jun 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) Jul–Sep 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) Oct–Dec 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) View all months
Month Saint Paul Sacramento Jan 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) Feb 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) Mar 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) Apr 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) May 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) Jun 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) Jul 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) Aug 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) Sep 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) Oct 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) Nov 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) Dec 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in California than Minnesota?
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What's the weather like in California compared to Minnesota?
