Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fremont, CA and Helena, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Helena, MT: $3,141 a month against $4,273 in Fremont, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

205

Cost of Living Index in Fremont, CA
Learn more

Fremont, CA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Helena, MT
Learn more

Helena, MT Living Index

Jump to prices

Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,273

/mo nomad

Helena, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,141

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fremont, CA and in Helena, MT

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fremont, CA and in Helena, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,273 per month in Fremont, CA vs $3,141 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Fremont, CA $4,273
Helena, MT $3,141

A couple spends around $5,632 per month in Fremont, CA vs $4,591 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Fremont, CA $5,632
Helena, MT $4,591

A family of three spends $6,991 per month in Fremont, CA vs $6,041 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Fremont, CA $6,991
Helena, MT $6,041

Fremont, CA costs about 36% more than Helena, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fremont, CA and Helena, MT sit above the global median – Fremont, CA by 215%, Helena, MT by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$21.24 $21.24

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$112 $112

-33.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$17.91 $17.91

-32.55%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$5.20 $5.20

5.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.24 $2.24

21.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.79 $1.79

32.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.95 $8.95

$5.04 $5.04

77.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.09 $7.09

43.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.07 $1.07

50.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.70 $3.70

23.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.39 $4.39

-5.47%

Eggs

$6.31 $6.31

$3.70 $3.70

70.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 $19.99

$17.86 $17.86

11.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$8.87 $8.87

59.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$20.20 $20.20

-13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.86 $4.86

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.82 $1.82

10.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.48 $4.48

23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.16 $4.16

29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.13 $2.13

68.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.51 $1.51

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.65 $1.65

43.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.58 $1.58

60.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.77 $11.77

$10.30 $10.30

14.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 $15.57

$13.14 $13.14

18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.69 $1.69

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.52 $2.52

32.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.58 $3.58

-23.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 $85.0

$59.3 $59.3

43.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$9.85 $9.85

-63.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.52 $3.52

-13.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$44.58 $44.58

-32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.97 $0.97

61.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.2K $31.2K

$35.6K $35.6K

-12.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$30.1K $30.1K

-12.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$368 $368

$372 $372

-0.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$42.04 $42.04

$68.1 $68.1

-38.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 $81.5

$82.8 $82.8

-1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.11 $36.11

$52.5 $52.5

-31.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 $8.36

$14.81 $14.81

-43.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 $16.48

$11.80 $11.80

39.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$1,963 $1,963

-8.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K $39.7K

$27.3K $27.3K

45.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$63.9 $63.9

-8.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$117 $117

-55.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$82.9 $82.9

12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$123 $123

-0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

$1,747 $1,747

64.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,622 $2,622

$1,539 $1,539

70.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,999 $3,999

$2,909 $2,909

37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,568 $3,568

$2,543 $2,543

40.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,118 $6,118

$3,525 $3,525

73.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,848 $4,848

$3,062 $3,062

58.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,604 $7,604

$6,282 $6,282

21.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Fremont, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Helena, MT: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fremont, CA

$2.6K 61.4%

Helena, MT

$1.5K 49% 41.3% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fremont, CA

$492 11.5%

Helena, MT

$522 16.6% 6.2% $31

Groceries & Markets

Fremont, CA

$480 11.2%

Helena, MT

$387 12.3% 19.3% $92

Eating Out

Fremont, CA

$349 8.2%

Helena, MT

$342 10.9% 2.2% $7.8

Clothing & Footwear

Fremont, CA

$147 3.4%

Helena, MT

$174 5.5% 18.4% $27

Getting Around

Fremont, CA

$115 2.7%

Helena, MT

$101 3.2% 11.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Fremont, CA

$69 1.6%

Helena, MT

$76 2.4% 10.3% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,872 in Fremont, CA versus $1,747 in Helena, MT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Fremont, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Fremont, CA versus $112 in Helena, MT. Groceries tell a different story – $480 in Fremont, CA vs $387 in Helena, MT – so Helena, MT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 Helena, MT

🕒 Local time

15:06 3:06 PM

16:06 4:06 PM

1 h ahead of Fremont, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

241,110

32,091

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Fremont, CA Helena, MT 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Fremont, CA
Helena, MT

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Fremont, CA vs Helena, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fremont, CA is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,409 per month in Fremont, CA and $4,712 in Helena, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Helena, MT, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Helena, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,788 per month in Fremont, CA and $1,963 in Helena, MT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,273 in Fremont, CA and $3,141 in Helena, MT. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Helena, MT – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Helena, MT. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fremont, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.