Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Montana: $833 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Montana
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Montana Living Index
130

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

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Montana

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$833

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montana 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 Montana and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $833 in Montana versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Montana $833
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Montana versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Montana $1,339
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,846 in Montana versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Montana $1,846
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Montana costs roughly 69% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montana is 38% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 BGN 15.83

$20.77 $20.77

-56.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.16 BGN 63.3

$84.6 $84.6

-57.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 BGN 17.24

$12.32 $12.32

-20.05%

Cappuccino

$1.39 BGN 2.43

$5.63 $5.63

-75.31%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.42

$3.72 $3.72

-62.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.94

$2.50 $2.50

-55.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 BGN 2.24

$8.05 $8.05

-84.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BGN 1.77

$9.01 $9.01

-88.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.96

$1.12 $1.12

50.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 BGN 1.76

$3.75 $3.75

-73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.68

$3.26 $3.26

-35.58%

Eggs

$2.72 BGN 4.77

$4.17 $4.17

-34.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 BGN 17.03

$12.90 $12.90

-24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 BGN 5.68

$14.16 $14.16

-77.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 BGN 22.10

$16.22 $16.22

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 BGN 2.12

$4.33 $4.33

-72.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 BGN 3.12

$1.46 $1.46

21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$4.51 $4.51

-60.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 BGN 4.49

$4.34 $4.34

-41.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 BGN 1.23

$2.58 $2.58

-72.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$2.35 $2.35

-60.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 BGN 1.58

$1.78 $1.78

-49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 BGN 0.86

$2.22 $2.22

-77.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BGN 6.44

$9.88 $9.88

-62.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 BGN 11.04

$15.08 $15.08

-58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$2.92 $2.92

-69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BGN 1.97

$3.46 $3.46

-67.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$1.49 $1.49

-40.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.29 BGN 42.50

$41.72 $41.72

-41.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 BGN 1.15

$2.73 $2.73

-75.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 BGN 0.83

$1.66 $1.66

-71.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.36 BGN 18.12

$35.30 $35.30

-70.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.76

$0.95 $0.95

66.32%

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

$19.6K BGN 34.3K

$36.0K $36.0K

-45.63%

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

$23.7K BGN 41.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

-12.51%

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

$99.8 BGN 175

$229 $229

-56.43%

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

$18.72 BGN 32.77

$59.4 $59.4

-68.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 BGN 14.90

$69.9 $69.9

-87.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 BGN 52.3

$57.2 $57.2

-47.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 BGN 30.10

$16.33 $16.33

5.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BGN 9.29

$14.28 $14.28

-62.82%

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

$522 BGN 914

$1,506 $1,506

-65.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,479 BGN 9,589

$21.5K $21.5K

-74.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 BGN 119

$52.8 $52.8

28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.05 BGN 73.6

$43.82 $43.82

-4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 BGN 166

$84.8 $84.8

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

$103 $103

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 BGN 374

$1,907 $1,907

-88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 BGN 280

$1,274 $1,274

-87.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 BGN 707

$3,664 $3,664

-88.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 BGN 532

$2,538 $2,538

-88.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 BGN 2,326

$7,614 $7,614

-82.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 BGN 1,886

$3,157 $3,157

-65.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$992 BGN 1,737

$5,121 $5,121

-80.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

6.79

-54.34%

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

Last update for Montana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Montana

$199 23.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 103% $206

Accommodation & Living

Montana

$160 19.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 697% $1.1K

Clothing & Footwear

Montana

$139 16.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 8% $11

Eating Out

Montana

$137 16.4%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 158% $217

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montana

$127 15.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 182% $231

Sport & Entertainment

Montana

$40 4.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 112% $45

Getting Around

Montana

$31 3.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 90.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Montana and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 416% 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: $36.00 in Montana vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $405 per month, with Montana cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Montana

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

23:38 11:38 PM

15:38 3:38 PM

8 h behind Montana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,502

974,447

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Montana Austin, TX 9,860 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Montana
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

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

Montana wins on cost – living expenses run 220% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montana the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 416% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $214 in Montana versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $833 per month in Montana versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montana runs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $833 in Montana versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montana but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Montana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 220% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.