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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Location independence means living where the math works. We analyzed 1 cities in Montana for low overhead and reliable utilities. Billings ranks #1: index 100, utilities 92.
Location independence means living where the math works. We analyzed 1 cities in Montana for low overhead and reliable utilities. Billings ranks #1: index 100, utilities 92.
What does daily life actually cost in Billings? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 103) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $71,855 and homes at $390,654 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Digital nomads need low overhead and reliable connectivity. Our model scores cost index (20pts), utility infrastructure (15pts), and rent flexibility (10pts). Billings leads with a 100 cost index and 92 utilities index.
Here's the asterisk: Across Montana, the average cost of living index is 100 — 12 points below the national median. Known for Big Sky country with an inflating housing bubble, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,383/month. That's $512 less than the national average of $1,895. The data here speaks for itself.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Billings — cost index 100, rent $1,383/mo, income $71,855
Digital-nomad scoring: cost index 100, utilities 92, rent $1,383/mo — minimum monthly burn rate
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
120,864 residents · Montana
Why Billings ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And from what we can tell, at 100 on the cost index, residents save roughly 12% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,383/month while the median household pulls in $71,855/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 92, though Healthcare (103) lags behind. Home prices average $390,654 — $76,716 below the national median.
Our persona scoring model weights cost of living, income, rent, healthcare costs, tax burden, and population size differently based on what matters most to digital nomads. Each factor contributes 10-25 points to a 0-100 composite score. Cities with the highest composite rank first. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Billings ranks #1 in Montana for this analysis with a cost index of 100 and median income of $71,855.
Billings scores highest for digital nomads due to its strong income potential, median rent of $1,383/mo, and competitive median income of $71,855.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Billings is $1,383/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $512 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Billings is $390,654, which is 5.4× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Montana has a 5.9% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 0%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.74%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.