Billings, MT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Billings, MT Summary

Cost of living in Billings research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Billings is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Montana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Billings is 108, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Billings is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Billings ranks as the #15 cheapest in Montana out of 25.

  • Billings ranks as the #3,467 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Billings is $393,958.

  • The median income in Billings is $71,855.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
108
Billings's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Billings, MT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Billings has an overall cost of living index of 108, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Billings has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Montana's index of 101.

The standard of living in Billings ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Billings ranks as the #10 most expensive place in the Treasure State.

For more reading on life in Billings, check out:

15 out of 25
In Montana
3,467 out of 6,489
In America

Billings Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Billings. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Billings is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Billings is 103.

  • The Health index in Billings is 103.

  • The Housing index in Billings is 116.

  • The Transportation index in Billings is 127.

  • The Utilities index in Billings is 92.

Living Expense Billings Montana National Average
Overall 108 101 100
Services 103 104 100
Groceries 103 102 100
Health 103 99 100
Housing 116 100 100
Transportation 127 107 100
Utilities 92 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:
Billings Cost of Living Vs. MT

Billings, MT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Montana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Billings is $393,958.

  • The Median Rent in Billings is $1,097.

  • The Median Income in Billings is $71,855.

  • The Home Value To Income in Billings is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Billings is 0.18x.

Statistic Billings Montana United States
Median Home Value $393,958 $460,050 $303,400
Median Rent $1,097 $1,031 $1,348
Median Income $71,855 $69,922 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 6.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$393,958
Median Home Value
$1,097
Median Rent
$71,855
Median Income

Billings, MT Costs By Category

Detailed Billings Services Costs Vs. Montana

Item Billings Montana
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.47 $12.13
Bowling $17.73 $18
Haircut $29.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.59 $45.56

Detailed Billings Groceries Costs Vs. Montana

Item Billings Montana
Ground Beef $5.69 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $4.54 $4.93
Pizza $12.1 $12.09
Beer $10.75 $10.41
Toothpaste $4.1 $3.7

Detailed Billings Health Costs Vs. Montana

Item Billings Montana
Optometrist $153.82 $125.68
Doctor $187.05 $135.78
Dentist $102.51 $113.29

Detailed Billings Transportation Costs Vs. Montana

Item Billings Montana
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $111.34 $59.92

Detailed Billings Utilities Costs Vs. Montana

Item Billings Montana
All Electricity $177.24 $193.99
Phone $183.03 $192.25

Billings SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
7
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Billings

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Billings. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Lockwood, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 0.9x Billings.

  • Laurel, MT has a cost of living index of 100, 0.9x Billings.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Billings
Lockwood, MT 7,474 102 0.9x
Laurel, MT 7,198 100 0.9x

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