Great Falls, MT Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Great Falls, MT Summary

Cost of living in Great 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 Great 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 Great Falls is 92, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Great Falls is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Great Falls ranks as the #3 cheapest in Montana out of 25.

  • Great Falls ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Great Falls is $330,334.

  • The median income in Great Falls is $63,934.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
92
Great Falls's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Great Falls, MT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Great Falls has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Great Falls has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Montana's index of 101.

The standard of living in Great Falls ranks as #3 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Great Falls ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Treasure State.

For more reading on life in Great Falls, check out:

3 out of 25
In Montana
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Great Falls Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

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

  • The Services index in Great Falls is 88.

  • The Groceries index in Great Falls is 102.

  • The Health index in Great Falls is 94.

  • The Housing index in Great Falls is 93.

  • The Transportation index in Great Falls is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Great Falls is 95.

Living Expense Great Falls Montana National Average
Overall 92 101 100
Services 88 104 100
Groceries 102 102 100
Health 94 99 100
Housing 93 100 100
Transportation 101 107 100
Utilities 95 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:
Great Falls Cost of Living Vs. MT

Great 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 Great Falls is $330,334.

  • The Median Rent in Great Falls is $866.

  • The Median Income in Great Falls is $63,934.

  • The Home Value To Income in Great Falls is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Great Falls is 0.16x.

Statistic Great Falls Montana United States
Median Home Value $330,334 $460,050 $303,400
Median Rent $866 $1,031 $1,348
Median Income $63,934 $69,922 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.2x 6.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.18x 0.21x
$330,334
Median Home Value
$866
Median Rent
$63,934
Median Income

Great Falls, MT Costs By Category

Detailed Great Falls Services Costs Vs. Montana

Item Great 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 Great Falls Groceries Costs Vs. Montana

Item Great 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 Great Falls Health Costs Vs. Montana

Item Great Falls Montana
Optometrist $105.94 $125.68
Doctor $115.67 $135.78
Dentist $112.63 $113.29

Detailed Great Falls Transportation Costs Vs. Montana

Item Great Falls Montana
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.17 $59.92

Detailed Great Falls Utilities Costs Vs. Montana

Item Great Falls Montana
All Electricity $176.82 $193.99
Phone $182.36 $192.25

Great Falls SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
7
Affordability
7
Diversity
7
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9.5

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