Missoula, MT Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Missoula. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Missoula compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Missoula, Montana

Cost of living in Missoula 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 Missoula 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:

115 Cost of living index 1.1x higher vs US
#21 Cheapest in Montana (of 26)
#3,989 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$564,622 Median home value
$1,189 Median rent
$70,392 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Missoula, MT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Missoula has an overall cost of living index of 115, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Missoula has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Montana's index of 102.

The standard of living in Missoula ranks as #21 most affordable out of the 26 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Missoula ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Treasure State.

For more reading on life in Missoula, check out:

Missoula Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

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

  • The Services index in Missoula is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Missoula is 104.

  • The Health index in Missoula is 141.

  • The Housing index in Missoula is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Missoula is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Missoula is 102.

Living Expense Missoula Montana National Average
Overall 115 102 100
Services 103 104 100
Groceries 104 103 100
Health 141 101 100
Housing 99 99 100
Transportation 101 105 100
Utilities 102 100 100

Missoula Cost Of Living Compared To Montana Averages

Services
Missoula 103
Montana avg 104
Groceries
Missoula 104
Montana avg 103
Health
Missoula 141
Montana avg 101
Housing
Missoula 99
Montana avg 99
Transportation
Missoula 101
Montana avg 105
Utilities
Missoula 102
Montana avg 100

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Missoula, MT Housing Cost Breakdown

$564,622Median Home Value
$1,189Median Rent
$70,392Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Missoula is $564,622.

  • The Median Rent in Missoula is $1,189.

  • The Median Income in Missoula is $70,392.

  • The Home Value To Income in Missoula is 8.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Missoula is 0.2x.

Statistic Missoula Montana United States
Median Home Value $564,622 $466,916 $332,700
Median Rent $1,189 $1,081 $1,413
Median Income $70,392 $72,509 $80,734
Home Value To Income 8.0x 6.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x

Missoula, MT Costs By Category

Detailed Missoula Services costs vs. Montana
Item Missoula 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 Missoula Groceries costs vs. Montana
Item Missoula 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 Missoula Health costs vs. Montana
Item Missoula Montana
Optometrist $105.94 $125.68
Doctor $115.67 $135.78
Dentist $112.63 $113.29
Detailed Missoula Transportation costs vs. Montana
Item Missoula Montana
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.17 $59.92
Detailed Missoula Utilities costs vs. Montana
Item Missoula Montana
All Electricity $176.82 $193.99
Phone $182.36 $192.25

Missoula SnackAbility

8Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 8/10
Affordability 5/10
Diversity 6/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 9.5/10
Commute 9.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Missoula

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

  • Orchard Homes, MT has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Missoula.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Missoula
Orchard Homes, MT 5,588 115 1.0x