Overall
Montana feels cheaper overall
Montana has the lower cost-of-living index, beating California by 33.3 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
California vs Montana: Cost of Living
Montana is cheaper overall by 33.3 cost-of-living points, but Montana has lower median home values.
California
CA • West
138.5
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
105.2
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
California
138.5
Montana
105.2
Difference: 33.3 points — Montana leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
California
#48 · 138.5
Montana
#34 · 105.2
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#48
California
138.5
California
#34
Montana
105.2
Montana
California ranks 48th and Montana ranks 34th nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.8x more for a home
Montana has the lower median home value, while buying in California costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Montana puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Montana than in California, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Montana keeps more income after state tax
Montana has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
California
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
138.5
Regional price parity
113.4
Regular gas price
$5.929/gal
Electricity price
30.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,856/mo
Median home value
$693,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
13.30%
State sales tax
7.25%
Property tax
0.70%
Income
Median household income
$84,097
Income after median rent
$5,152
Minimum wage
$16.50/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Montana
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
105.2
Regional price parity
97.2
Regular gas price
$3.796/gal
Electricity price
12.86 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$974/mo
Median home value
$376,200
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
6.75%
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
0.72%
Income
Median household income
$63,249
Income after median rent
$4,297
Minimum wage
$10.55/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Permissive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Montana has lower median home values.
- Montana has the lower overall cost index.
- California has the higher median household income.
- Montana looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
California vs Montana: Cost of Living in context
Montana has a cost of living of 105.2, compared with 138.5 in California. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
California
138.5
Montana
105.2
Difference
33.3 points
People Also Ask
California vs Montana Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is California's cost of living?
California's cost of living is 138.5.
Q What is Montana's cost of living?
Montana's cost of living is 105.2.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — California or Montana?
Montana is cheaper overall by 33.3 cost-of-living points, but Montana has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: California vs Montana
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.