Cost of Living in Montana
What it costs to live in Montana, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 1,137,233
- Median household income
- $75,340
- State income tax
- Up to 5.7%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 94.6
What a typical paycheck keeps in Montana
The typical Montana worker earns $48,740 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $8,521 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $48,740
- Federal income tax
- −$3,669
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,729
- State income tax
- −$1,534
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,676
- Everyday costs
- −$16,611
a year, or $710 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Montana.
Cost of living in Montana
Prices across Montana run 5% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing15% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)4% below the US average
- Utilities28% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items5% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,223 | $14,676 |
| Food | $474 | $5,688 |
| Transportation | $375 | $4,500 |
| Healthcare | $348 | $4,176 |
| Utilities | $188 | $2,256 |
| Total before taxes | $2,608 | $31,296 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Montana taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 4.7% |
| $47,500 | 5.7% |
Montana starts from federal taxable income.
Taxes on the median household income
$75,340 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$7,745 |
| Payroll taxes | −$5,764 |
| State income tax | −$2,896 |
| Effective tax rate | 21.8% |
Cities in Montana
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Montana city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Montana
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $167,200 | $86,174 |
| Pharmacist | $142,080 | $70,424 |
| Physician assistant | $141,470 | $70,042 |
| Nurse practitioner | $137,210 | $67,371 |
| Software engineer | $121,990 | $57,827 |
| Lineman | $110,320 | $50,282 |
| Lawyer | $103,720 | $46,011 |
| Data scientist | $100,490 | $43,921 |
| Veterinarian | $99,390 | $43,209 |
| Financial analyst | $99,190 | $43,080 |
| Dental hygienist | $98,440 | $42,594 |
| Mechanical engineer | $94,190 | $39,844 |
| Civil engineer | $93,070 | $39,120 |
| Physical therapist | $91,450 | $38,072 |
| Occupational therapist | $88,990 | $36,480 |
Salary pages in Montana, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Montana
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Pharmacists | $142,080 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $137,210 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $132,860 |
| Financial Managers | $131,060 |
| Software Developers | $121,990 |
| Sales Managers | $117,390 |
| Managers, All Other | $110,470 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $105,840 |
| Construction Managers | $104,480 |
| Lawyers | $103,720 |
| Management Analysts | $97,470 |
| Civil Engineers | $93,070 |
| Physical Therapists | $91,450 |
| General and Operations Managers | $91,380 |
| Project Management Specialists | $87,890 |
Living in Montana
Montana against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,177 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.2% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 19.5 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 11.7% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare Montana with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Montana?
Prices in Montana are 5% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,223 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,384 a month.
Does Montana have a state income tax?
Yes. Montana's income tax rate is up to 5.7%. On a typical wage of $48,740, a single filer pays about $1,534 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Montana?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $37,500 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Montana earns $48,740 and keeps $8,521 after those costs.
Where in Montana does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Montana cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Helena ($12,003 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Billings ($9,310).
What jobs pay the most in Montana?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Montana goes to Pharmacists ($142,080); Nurse Practitioners ($137,210); Computer and Information Systems Managers ($132,860) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate