Columbia Falls, MT Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Columbia Falls, MT Summary
Cost of living in Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls is 97, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Columbia Falls is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Columbia Falls ranks as the #6 cheapest in Montana out of 25.
Columbia Falls ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Columbia Falls is $596,544.
The median income in Columbia Falls is $65,313.
Table Of Contents
Columbia Falls's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Columbia Falls, MT?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia Falls has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Montana, Columbia Falls has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Montana's index of 101.
The standard of living in Columbia Falls ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Columbia Falls ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Treasure State.
For more reading on life in Columbia Falls, check out:
In Montana
In America
Columbia Falls Cost Of Living Vs. Montana
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbia Falls. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Columbia Falls is 90.
The Groceries index in Columbia Falls is 101.
The Health index in Columbia Falls is 91.
The Housing index in Columbia Falls is 105.
The Transportation index in Columbia Falls is 103.
The Utilities index in Columbia Falls is 92.
| Living Expense | Columbia Falls | Montana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 104 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 105 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 95 | 100 | |
Columbia Falls, 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 Columbia Falls is $596,544.
The Median Rent in Columbia Falls is $1,003.
The Median Income in Columbia Falls is $65,313.
The Home Value To Income in Columbia Falls is 9.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia Falls is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Columbia Falls | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $596,544 | $460,050 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,003 | $1,031 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $65,313 | $69,922 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.1x | 6.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Columbia Falls, MT Costs By Category
Detailed Columbia Falls Services Costs Vs. Montana
| Item | Columbia Falls | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.16 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.99 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.78 | $18 |
| Haircut | $15.71 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $37.87 | $45.56 |
Detailed Columbia Falls Groceries Costs Vs. Montana
| Item | Columbia Falls | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.31 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.59 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.61 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.03 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.57 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.19 | $3.7 |
Detailed Columbia Falls Health Costs Vs. Montana
| Item | Columbia Falls | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $105.94 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $115.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $112.63 | $113.29 |
Detailed Columbia Falls Transportation Costs Vs. Montana
| Item | Columbia Falls | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $69.17 | $59.92 |
Detailed Columbia Falls Utilities Costs Vs. Montana
| Item | Columbia Falls | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $176.82 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.36 | $192.25 |
Columbia Falls SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbia Falls
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Columbia Falls. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Kalispell, MT has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Columbia Falls.
Forest Hill, TX has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Columbia Falls.
Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Columbia Falls.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbia Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalispell, MT | 26,830 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Forest Hill, TX | 13,923 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Evergreen, MT | 8,908 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Whitefish, MT | 8,422 | 133 | 1.4x |
