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: $2,608 in Missoula, MT versus $1,897 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,213 in Missoula, MT versus $2,922 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,818 in Missoula, MT versus $3,948 in Nelson.

Living in Missoula, MT is roughly 37% more expensive than in Nelson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Missoula, MT 90% above, Nelson 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.78 $16.78

$14.61 NZ$24.84

14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$68.9 NZ$117

7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 $9.30

$9.01 NZ$15.32

3.22%

Cappuccino

$4.33 $4.33

$3.46 NZ$5.88

25.14%

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

$3.17 $3.17

$1.83 NZ$3.11

73.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.84 NZ$3.13

31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.88 NZ$13.40

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.89 NZ$10.02

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-40.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.19 NZ$3.72

61.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.96 NZ$3.33

153.57%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$5.94 NZ$10.09

-28.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.52 $24.52

$9.64 NZ$16.38

154.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$8.01 NZ$13.62

38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$14.18 NZ$24.11

35.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.19 NZ$5.42

57.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.27 NZ$3.86

-32.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.22 NZ$5.48

76.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$6.14 NZ$10.44

-33.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.28 NZ$3.87

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.29 NZ$2.20

124.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.20 NZ$3.75

7.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.12 NZ$1.90

246.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$26.63 NZ$45.27

-58.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.86 $24.86

$10.21 NZ$17.36

143.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.25 NZ$5.53

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.00 NZ$5.10

49.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 NZ$4.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.91 NZ$3.24

162.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.93 NZ$3.28

151.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.24 $39.24

$34.90 NZ$59.3

12.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.64 NZ$2.79

-37.80%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$17.8K NZ$30.2K

92.34%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.6K NZ$40.1K

10.05%

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

$137 $137

$136 NZ$230

1.33%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$33.60 NZ$57.1

52.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$41.87 NZ$71.2

62.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 $61.0

$59.5 NZ$101

2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 $22.14

$35.72 NZ$60.7

-38.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$11.17 NZ$18.99

22.83%

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

$1,979 $1,979

$483 NZ$821

309.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

3.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$56.2 NZ$95.5

25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 $43.20

$30.29 NZ$51.5

42.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$106 NZ$180

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$144 NZ$245

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$1,063 NZ$1,807

48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 $1,306

$850 NZ$1,446

53.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 $3,107

$1,786 NZ$3,037

73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 $2,882

$1,510 NZ$2,566

90.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,075 $4,075

$1,460 NZ$2,482

179.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,680 $3,680

$905 NZ$1,539

306.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 $3,614

$2,133 NZ$3,626

69.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.39

12.80%

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

Last update for Missoula, MT: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nelson: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Missoula, MT and $1,063 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Missoula, MT pays 69% 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: $74.0 in Missoula, MT vs $69.0 in Nelson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $332 per month, with Nelson cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Missoula, MT, 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: $1,575 in Missoula, MT versus $1,063 in Nelson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,979 in Missoula, MT versus $483 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 $69.0 versus $74.0 in Missoula, MT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,897 in Nelson versus $2,608 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 37% less than in Missoula, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.