Cost of living in Livingston 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 Livingston 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 Livingston is 111, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Livingston is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Livingston ranks as the #19 cheapest in Montana out of 25.
Livingston ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Livingston is $519,356.
The median income in Livingston is $65,187.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Livingston has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Montana, Livingston has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Montana's index of 101.
The standard of living in Livingston ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Livingston ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Treasure State.
For more reading on life in Livingston, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Livingston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Livingston is 117.
The Groceries index in Livingston is 108.
The Health index in Livingston is 94.
The Housing index in Livingston is 111.
The Transportation index in Livingston is 101.
The Utilities index in Livingston is 94.
| Living Expense | Livingston | Montana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 111 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 117 | 104 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 108 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 111 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 95 | 100 | |
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 Livingston is $519,356.
The Median Rent in Livingston is $987.
The Median Income in Livingston is $65,187.
The Home Value To Income in Livingston is 8.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Livingston is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Livingston | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $519,356 | $460,050 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $987 | $1,031 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $65,187 | $69,922 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.0x | 6.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Livingston | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.24 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.0 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $18.03 | $18 |
| Haircut | $34.17 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.03 | $45.56 |
| Item | Livingston | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.67 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.32 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.61 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.93 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.39 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.45 | $3.7 |
| Item | Livingston | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $134.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $144.42 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $109.17 | $113.29 |
| Item | Livingston | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.29 | $59.92 |
| Item | Livingston | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $177.13 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.36 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Livingston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bozeman, MT has a cost of living index of 132, 1.2x Livingston.
Belgrade, MT has a cost of living index of 117, 1.1x Livingston.
Four Corners, MT has a cost of living index of 131, 1.2x Livingston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Livingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | 55,042 | 132 | 1.2x |
| Belgrade, MT | 11,425 | 117 | 1.1x |
| Four Corners, MT | 5,562 | 131 | 1.2x |