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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. That tracks. 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
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Billings | 5.9% | 0% | 0.74% | $51,258 |
Montana is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. That tracks. 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
At $1,383/month — we had to double-check this one — for rent and a cost index of 81, Billings is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And in most cases, income is $71,855. It's fine. Not great, not bad. One to watch.
And here's the trade-off: The 1 cities we track in Montana paint a clearly affordable picture. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Average cost index: 81. Median rent: $1,383/month. Household income: $71,855. Montana is known for Big Sky country with an inflating housing bubble — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
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. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
120,864 residents · Montana
Put it this way: 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, Housing (index 81) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) 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 (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
Cities are ranked by effective property tax rate within Montana. Property taxes can vary significantly between municipalities even within the same state due to local levies, school districts, and assessment practices. 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.