Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Nelson Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Nelson

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,427 in Missoula, MT versus $2,041 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,881 in Missoula, MT versus $3,112 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,334 in Missoula, MT versus $4,182 in Nelson.

Living in Missoula, MT is roughly 19% more expensive than Nelson, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Missoula, MT 81% above, Nelson 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 $18.30

$21.28 NZ$35.96

-14.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$85.8 NZ$145

-13.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 $9.38

$9.53 NZ$16.11

-1.57%

Cappuccino

$4.28 $4.28

$3.20 NZ$5.41

33.75%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.66 NZ$4.50

-19.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.66 NZ$4.50

-30.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.40 NZ$12.50

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$5.91 NZ$9.99

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.33 NZ$3.95

-56.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.33 NZ$3.93

25.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.33 NZ$3.94

114.59%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$6.29 NZ$10.64

-28.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$9.95 NZ$16.82

67.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 $10.90

$8.17 NZ$13.81

33.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$15.94 NZ$26.94

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.55 NZ$6.00

31.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.53 NZ$4.27

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.97 NZ$5.02

75.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$6.51 NZ$11.00

-16.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.79 NZ$6.41

-41.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.59 NZ$4.38

-0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 NZ$4.36

-24.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.27 NZ$2.15

77.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.84 $10.84

$30.68 NZ$51.9

-64.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.54 $24.54

$10.08 NZ$17.04

143.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.07 NZ$5.20

-42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.46 NZ$7.53

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.44 NZ$4.12

-15.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 NZ$108

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.21 NZ$7.11

17.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.80 NZ$3.05

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.42 $40.42

$35.04 NZ$59.2

15.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.65 NZ$2.78

-49.70%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$18.7K NZ$31.6K

40.23%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$22.1K NZ$37.4K

19.89%

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

$130 $130

$215 NZ$363

-39.45%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$36.44 NZ$61.6

64.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$48.81 NZ$82.5

48.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$48.94 NZ$82.7

30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.85 NZ$35.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$9.99 NZ$16.89

19.52%

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

$1,407 $1,407

$490 NZ$829

186.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K $13.8K

$12.0K NZ$20.3K

14.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$59.7 NZ$101

-11.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 $46.61

$67.7 NZ$114

-31.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$130 NZ$220

-31.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$111 NZ$188

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$992 NZ$1,677

57.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 $1,173

$735 NZ$1,243

59.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,966 $2,966

$1,445 NZ$2,442

105.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,646 $2,646

$1,205 NZ$2,036

119.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,039 $4,039

$3,872 NZ$6,543

4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,700 $3,700

$3,133 NZ$5,294

18.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,566 $3,566

$2,052 NZ$3,469

73.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.82

-2.64%

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

Last update for Missoula, MT: April 22, 2026

Last update for Nelson: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,567 in Missoula, MT and $992 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Missoula, MT pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74 in Missoula, MT vs $86 in Nelson. Groceries flip the comparison at $422 vs $364, with Nelson cheaper for home cooking.

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 Nelson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nelson is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Missoula, MT pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,567 in Missoula, MT versus $992 in Nelson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,407 in Missoula, MT versus $490 in Nelson. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nelson – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $74.0 in Missoula, MT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,041 in Nelson versus $2,427 in Missoula, MT, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nelson but tight or insufficient in Missoula, MT. The gap between the two cities makes Nelson the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nelson is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Missoula, MT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Missoula, MT and Nelson are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nelson gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Missoula, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.