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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 100 — make of that what you will — with rent at just $1,383/month — 27% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal d…
#1 Ranked: Billings — cost index 100, rent $1,383/mo, income $71,855
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
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 100 — make of that what you will — 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. A real contender.
Why Billings ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling). Worth a deeper look.
One more layer before the full breakdown: Montana — Big Sky country with an inflating housing bubble. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 100 and median income of $71,855. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,383/month, which is $512 less than the national median.
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
Look, 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, Utilities is the standout at index 92, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 103. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
Cities are ranked by their transportation cost sub-index within Montana. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. 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, MT has the lowest transportation index at 95, compared to the national average of 100.
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.