Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Montana's value. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Billings at index 81, where median rent of $1,383/month saves renters $6,144/year versus the national median.
#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
Dollar for dollar, few states match Montana's value. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Billings at index 81, where median rent of $1,383/month saves renters $6,144/year versus the national median.
The numbers for Billings are straightforward: 81 on the cost index, $1,383/month rent, $71,855 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. It lines up with what you'd expect. Not flashy. Just effective.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. It lines up with what you'd expect. Billings (index 81 — we had to double-check this one — , rent $1,383). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons. That's not nothing.
To be honest, it's a strong position — but not without footnotes. Montana — Big Sky country with an inflating housing bubble. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 81 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. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Bottom line: Billings leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And in practical terms, 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. That's not nothing.
120,864 residents · Montana
Real talk: Billings comes in at #1. Rent is $1,383 a month. Household income is $71,855. The cost of living index is 81. Moving on (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Billings | 5.9% | 0% | 0.74% | $51,258 |
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.