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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Montana is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Billings leads at an index of 81 with rent at just $1,383/month — 27% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Billings — cost index 81, rent $1,383/mo, income $71,855
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Montana is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Billings leads at an index of 81 with rent at just $1,383/month — 27% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Value = income ÷ cost index. The national benchmark ratio is 724. Billings delivers 887 — 23% more purchasing power per dollar earned. This metric catches cities that expensive-but-high-paying rankings miss: a $90K salary in a city with index 80 buys more than $120K in a city with index 150.
Billings earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 81 cost index sits 30 points below the national baseline, and the $71,855 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $390,654 — $76,716 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 81, while Healthcare trails at 96.
Bottom line: Billings leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
120,864 residents · Montana
The #1 spot goes to Billings, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,383/month — saving renters $6,144 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 81, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
Value ratio = median household income ÷ cost of living index. A higher ratio means each dollar of income buys more locally. This captures purchasing power better than looking at income or cost alone. 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 81 and 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.