Cost of Living in Montana

By Jacqueline DeMarco

(Last Updated – 04/2025)

Montana is a gorgeous state that any nature lover would appreciate calling home.

Before relocating to Big Sky Country, it’s important to have an idea of what the cost of living looks like. That way you can make sure that you can relax and enjoy the skiing, hiking, rock hounding, rafting, and hot-spring soaking the state affords.

What’s the Average Cost of Living in Montana?

Average Cost of Living in Montana: $55,264 per year

Take a good look at your monthly budget if you’re planning a move to Montana.

According to MERIC data in 2024, Montana ranks 22nd when it comes to cost of living. That means Montana is less expensive to live in than over half of the country. But living in Montana isn’t cheap, by any means.

So how much does it cost to live in Montana? Let’s look at some average expenses, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The average total personal consumption cost in Montana is $55,264 annually and breaks down to:

In terms of monthly expenses, that’s $4,605, on average.

Housing Costs in Montana

Average Housing Costs in Montana: $809 to $1,736 per month

No matter where you live, housing will be a major recurring expense. Montana has approximately 535,500 housing units, according to census data, so your housing choices may be somewhat limited.

How much should you expect to spend to put a roof over your head? In December 2024, Montana’s typical home value was $451,402, Zillow said.

How much you’ll spend on housing will depend on your specific living arrangements. Let’s look at a few options, according to the census data.

•  Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,736

•  Median studio rent: $809

•  Median one-bedroom rent: $822

•  Median two-bedroom rent: $1,105

•  Median three-bedroom rent: $1,460

•  Median four-bedroom rent: $1,443

•  Median gross rent: $1,083

Below are the typical home values for the most populous Montana cities, according to Zillow, in December 2024. These averages give you a general idea of what you should expect to spend on housing in Montana.

Utility Costs in Montana

Average Utility Costs in Montana: $302 per month

Utilities are an ongoing expense. This is what you can expect to spend on utilities each month in Montana.

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price; Statista.com “Average monthly residential utility costs in the United States, by state”; DoxoInsights, U.S. Cable & Internet Market Size and Household Spending Report; and Rentcafe.com, What Is the Average Water Bill?

Groceries & Food

Average Grocery & Food Costs in Montana: $413 per person, per month

Let’s take a closer look at how much the average resident might spend on food in Montana. The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that each Montanan has an average annual nonrestaurant food cost of $4,957, which comes out to about $413 each month.

Where you live in Montana may affect how much you spend on food, so take into consideration the Council for Community and Economic Research rankings for two of Montana’s major cities. These grocery costs are for 2024, ranked from lowest to highest.

Transportation

Average Transportation Costs in Montana: $10,633 to $19,785 per year

Between commuting to work and making sure the kids get to school on time, most of us spend a lot of money going to and fro. To make budgeting your transportation expenses in Montana easier, take a look at how much MIT’s Living Wage Calculator estimates you’d spend on transportation annually, based on data from 2024.

Health Care

Average Health Care Costs in Montana: $9,081 per person, per year

How much you’ll spend on health care is often affected by location. The Bureau of Economic Analysis Personal Consumption Expenditures by State report found the average annual per-person cost of health care in Montana to be $9,081.

How much you end up spending on health care may be more or less than that average, as your specific health insurance plan and medical needs influence how much you’ll pay toward health care each year.

Child Care

Average Child-Care Costs in Montana: $775 to $1,075 per child, per month

How much you’d spend on child care in Montana depends on what type of care you’re looking for. If you have an infant who requires care, you would pay more each month than you would for a toddler.

Parents who need help paying for child care can turn to the Montana Early Childhood Services Bureau, which provides resources in an attempt to improve affordability and accessibility of early care and education in Montana.

These are the average child care costs in Montana in 2021, according to costofchildcare.org.

Taxes

Highest Marginal Tax Rate in Montana: 5.9%

In Montana, like most states, residents are required to pay a state income tax. Montana has a graduated rate, which means the rate is determined by income. Residents may pay as little as 0% or as much as 5.9%, according to the Tax Foundation’s State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2025.

Want to stick to the Rocky Mountain region but don’t want to be stuck with a state income tax? Wyoming doesn’t charge any state income tax at all. But note that Wyoming does have a state sales tax, which Montana does not.

Miscellaneous Costs

While essential expenses like your rent or mortgage, groceries, and utilities will take top priority in your budget, leave some room for fun. So what can you get up to in Montana?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates personal expenditures at $30,069 per person, per year. These popular activities can give you an idea of how much fun costs in Montana (costs are accurate as of March 2025):

•  Check out the can’t-miss views in Glacier National Park: $25 (winter) to $35 per private vehicle for a seven-day permit. For $2, purchase a Going-to-the-Sun Road timed-entry vehicle pass, which is needed for park entry between 7am and 3pm from mid-June to mid-September.

•  Snack on a fresh huckleberry pastry in Polebridge: A mile’s drive down a dirt road outside Glacier is the tiny town of Polebridge, known for its 111-year-old general purpose store and its in-house bakery. Grab a famous delicacy, the huckleberry bear claw, for $6.75.

•  Hit the slopes all season long at Big Sky Resort: $1,380 – $3,200 (price varies by age and pass privileges) for a Blue, Black, Double Black, or Gold Season Pass, which gives unlimited access to the slopes all season.

•  Soak in a thermal pool at Chico Hot Springs: Open since 1900, this hotel north of Yellowstone National Park features a historic dining room and two outdoor hot spring pools for relaxing. Guests soak for free, and visitors can grab a day pass for the pools for $14 (adults) or $8 (for kids 6 and younger, and seniors 65+).

How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Montana?

The idea of living “comfortably” is highly subjective and depends greatly on your needs, family size, and lifestyle choices.

That said, Montana does not appear to be one of the more affordable states to live in, and ranks 14th in U.S. News & World Report’s Affordability Rankings. The rankings compare the average cost of living in each state with the average amount of money most households have.

As noted, MERIC views Montana as a bit rougher on the wallet, ranking it the 22nd most affordable state.

What City Has the Lowest Cost of Living in Montana?

The Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index for 2024 gave detailed information on two of Montana’s cities and metro areas to dig deeper into their cost of living.