Median rent is 4% lower in Billings ($1,138/mo vs $1,189/mo). Buying is cheaper in Billings, where the median home runs $343,400 versus $473,100. Households earn more in Billings ($73,712 vs $70,392 a year).
City A
Billings, MT
City B
Missoula, MT
How much would you need to earn in Missoula, MT to maintain your standard of living from Billings, MT?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Billings
Montana
Missoula
Montana
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,138/mo in Billings and $1,189/mo in Missoula. Home buyers face a steeper market in Missoula: the median home is $473,100 versus $343,400 in Billings — 27% more expensive.
Metric
Billings
Missoula
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Billings
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Missoula
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is not yet available for these cities.
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,138/mo in Billings, MT and $1,189/mo in Missoula, MT. Billings, MT has the lower rent by about 4%.
Median household income is $73,712 in Billings, MT and $70,392 in Missoula, MT. Billings, MT has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
