Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Missoula, MT: $2,609 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $960 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Missoula, MT
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Missoula, MT Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Missoula, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,609

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Missoula, MT and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,609 in Missoula, MT versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

Missoula, MT $2,609
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,087 in Missoula, MT versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

Missoula, MT $4,087
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,565 in Missoula, MT versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

Missoula, MT $5,565
Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Missoula, MT costs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Missoula, MT 93% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.73 $16.73

$21.34 $21.34

-21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$87.9 $87.9

-14.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 $9.27

$12.44 $12.44

-25.48%

Cappuccino

$4.37 $4.37

$5.60 $5.60

-21.96%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$3.65 $3.65

-15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.39 $2.39

-2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$7.82 $7.82

-25.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$8.75 $8.75

-32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.62 $3.62

-4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.50 $3.50

42.29%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.45 $4.45

-4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.81 $24.81

$13.18 $13.18

88.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$13.94 $13.94

-30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$16.46 $16.46

15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.73 $4.73

1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.50 $1.50

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$4.64 $4.64

40.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.52 $4.52

-17.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.55 $2.55

-8.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.39 $2.39

23.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.84 $1.84

30.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.13 $2.13

83.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.50 $10.50

$10.05 $10.05

4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.82 $24.82

$14.88 $14.88

66.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.82 $2.82

-29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.29 $3.29

33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.68 $2.68

91.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.99 $4.99

$1.63 $1.63

206.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 $39.29

$35.20 $35.20

11.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.98 $0.98

11.22%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$34.4K $34.4K

-6.02%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-8.47%

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

$139 $139

$252 $252

-44.96%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$59.8 $59.8

-12.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$69.7 $69.7

-0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.22 $49.22

$60.4 $60.4

-18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.25 $22.25

$18.14 $18.14

22.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

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

$2,009 $2,009

$1,458 $1,458

37.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-33.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$52.6 $52.6

26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 $44.46

$45.76 $45.76

-2.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$85.5 $85.5

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$106 $106

40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$2,195 $2,195

-30.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 $1,324

$1,269 $1,269

4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,992 $2,992

$4,000 $4,000

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$2,406 $2,406

10.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 $4,211

$7,381 $7,381

-42.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,475 $3,475

$2,964 $2,964

17.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,666 $3,666

$5,043 $5,043

-27.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.82

0.29%

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

Last update for Missoula, MT: November 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Missoula, MT

$1.3K 50.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2% 4.1% $55

Groceries & Markets

Missoula, MT

$477 18.3%

Austin, TX

$407 15.2% 14.7% $70

Eating Out

Missoula, MT

$277 10.6%

Austin, TX

$356 13.2% 28.5% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Missoula, MT

$261 10%

Austin, TX

$382 14.2% 46.5% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Missoula, MT

$164 6.3%

Austin, TX

$130 4.9% 20.5% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Missoula, MT

$77 2.9%

Austin, TX

$88 3.3% 14.5% $11

Getting Around

Missoula, MT

$30 * 1.2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.1% 90% $27

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,522 in Missoula, MT and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 38% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75 in Missoula, MT vs $88 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $477 vs $407, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Missoula, MT

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:37 12:37 PM

13:37 1:37 PM

1 h ahead of Missoula, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,489

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Missoula, MT Austin, TX 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Missoula, MT
Austin, TX

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

Missoula, MT vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Missoula, MT wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Missoula, MT the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Missoula, MT. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,522 in Missoula, MT versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,009 in Missoula, MT versus $1,458 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Missoula, MT – a meal for two runs $75 versus $88 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Missoula, MT is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Missoula, MT wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.