Last checked October 29, 2026.
A single adult renting their own 1-bedroom needs about $47,000 a year in Billings or Great Falls, about $50,000 in Missoula, Kalispell or Helena, and about $60,000 in Bozeman. That’s a full budget with a paid-off car and 10% saved, after 2026 federal and Montana taxes. Sharing a 2-bedroom brings every town down to roughly $39,000 to $45,000.
Income needed by town (2026, single adult)
| Town | Avg. 1-bedroom rent | Own 1-bedroom (full budget) | Half a 2-bedroom (full budget) | 30% rule, own 1-bedroom | Median wage, all jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $1,130 | $46,744 | $38,683 | $45,200 | $49,060 |
| Great Falls | $1,198 | $47,457 | $40,045 | $47,920 | $46,510 |
| Missoula | $1,313 | $49,760 | $41,178 | $52,520 | $47,830 |
| Kalispell | $1,386 | $50,089 | $40,986 | $55,440 | $47,150 |
| Helena | $1,393 | $51,222 | $41,123 | $55,720 | $55,040 |
| Bozeman | $1,891 | $60,325 | $44,788 | $75,640 | $54,830 |
Rent: average of listing-site asking rents, Sep–Oct 2026 (sources on each town page). Median wage: May 2025, by metro area (Kalispell: Western Montana nonmetro), from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Income needed is our calculation; see methodology.
Montana compared with the U.S. average
Overall prices in Montana were about 5% below the national average in 2024: Montana’s all-items regional price parity was 94.6, where the U.S. equals 100. Housing (rents) is where Montana is cheapest, at 84.6, and most other goods and services cost close to the national average. Prices are higher in the metro areas than in the rest of the state.
| Area | All items, 2024 (U.S. = 100) | Housing (rents), 2024 (U.S. = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | 94.6 | 84.6 |
| Great Falls metro area | 96.8 | 97.1 |
| Missoula metro area | 96.4 | 94.9 |
| Billings metro area | 93.5 | 77.4 |
| Montana outside metro areas | 91.6 | 71.2 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities for 2024 (released February 2026), via FRED; see also BEA. BEA’s housing figure reflects what all renters pay, including long-time tenants, so it runs below the current asking rents we use for income needed; metro housing figures also swing from year to year. BEA doesn’t publish figures for Bozeman, Helena or Kalispell separately.
What the full budget includes
| Monthly cost | Billings | Bozeman |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, own 1-bedroom | $1,130 | $1,891 |
| Electric and gas | $213 | $195 |
| Car (paid off): insurance, gas, registration, upkeep | $441 | $441 |
| Groceries (USDA moderate plan) | $366 | $366 |
| Health insurance premium | $107 | $107 |
| Phone and internet | $130 | $130 |
| Eating out | $150 | $150 |
| Renters insurance | $15 | $15 |
| Shopping, fun, everything else | $250 | $250 |
| Total per month | $2,802 | $3,545 |
| Plus 10% savings and taxes = salary needed | $46,744 | $60,325 |
Where each default comes from is listed on the salary calculator page, where you can change any line.
Why the 30% rule gives different answers
The 30% rule only looks at rent. In Billings, where rent is low, it says you need a little less than a full budget does, because car, food and insurance costs don’t shrink with rent. In Bozeman it says you need $75,640, far more than the full budget, because rent there is so high relative to everything else.
With kids
Childcare is the biggest added cost. Infant care at a Montana child care center averages about $15,080 a year (childcare costs), which by itself adds roughly $24,000 to $26,000 to the gross salary needed in our calculation (single filer; a parent filing as head of household would owe somewhat less tax).