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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,860 in Nelson versus $2,580 in Missoula, MT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,868 in Nelson versus $4,234 in Missoula, MT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,876 in Nelson versus $5,889 in Missoula, MT.

Living in Nelson costs roughly 28% less than in Missoula, MT, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson 36% above, Missoula, MT 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 NZ$25.07

$16.79 $16.79

-14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 NZ$116

$74.7 $74.7

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 NZ$14.71

$9.44 $9.44

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.88

$4.24 $4.24

-20.75%

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

$1.85 NZ$3.24

$3.05 $3.05

-39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$2.32 $2.32

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 NZ$13.16

$6.17 $6.17

22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 NZ$9.85

$6.04 $6.04

-6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.48

$1.17 $1.17

70.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 NZ$3.82

$3.50 $3.50

-37.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.43

$5.12 $5.12

-61.72%

Eggs

$5.88 NZ$10.27

$4.25 $4.25

38.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 NZ$16.53

$25.23 $25.23

-62.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 NZ$13.73

$11.04 $11.04

-28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 NZ$24.55

$19.44 $19.44

-27.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.40

$4.99 $4.99

-38.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$4.01

$1.57 $1.57

45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.41

$5.53 $5.53

-43.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NZ$10.35

$4.04 $4.04

46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$2.45 $2.45

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 NZ$2.31

$2.87 $2.87

-54.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 NZ$3.58

$2.37 $2.37

-13.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 NZ$1.84

$3.86 $3.86

-72.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.03 NZ$45.48

$11.08 $11.08

134.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 NZ$16.72

$25.22 $25.22

-62.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 NZ$5.63

$1.94 $1.94

65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$5.03

$4.44 $4.44

-35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 NZ$3.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$5.13 $5.13

-63.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$5.00 $5.00

-62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 NZ$61.6

$40.42 $40.42

-12.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.90

$1.00 $1.00

66.00%

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

$17.8K NZ$31.0K

$34.2K $34.2K

-48.09%

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

$22.5K NZ$39.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-16.01%

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

$135 NZ$235

$140 $140

-3.80%

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

$32.58 NZ$56.9

$53.0 $53.0

-38.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.95 NZ$69.8

$69.6 $69.6

-42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NZ$101

$61.1 $61.1

-5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.24 NZ$59.8

$21.78 $21.78

57.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 NZ$19.23

$13.54 $13.54

-18.76%

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

$461 NZ$806

$2,010 $2,010

-77.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

$14.2K $14.2K

-7.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 NZ$95.9

$69.9 $69.9

-21.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 NZ$49.98

$43.20 $43.20

-33.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$185

$105 $105

0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 NZ$254

$145 $145

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 NZ$1,830

$1,616 $1,616

-35.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 NZ$1,475

$1,275 $1,275

-33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 NZ$3,091

$3,153 $3,153

-43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 NZ$2,640

$2,869 $2,869

-47.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,439 NZ$2,514

$4,133 $4,133

-65.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$872 NZ$1,523

$3,753 $3,753

-76.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,148 NZ$3,753

$3,507 $3,507

-38.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.08

-11.35%

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

Last update for Nelson: September 12, 2026

Last update for Missoula, MT: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,047 in Nelson and $1,616 in Missoula, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Missoula, MT pays 63% 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: $66.0 in Nelson vs $75.0 in Missoula, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $488 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

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

Nelson is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $1,047 in Nelson versus $1,616 in Missoula, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $461 in Nelson versus $2,010 in Missoula, MT. 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 $66.0 versus $75.0 in Missoula, MT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,860 in Nelson versus $2,580 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, Nelson and Missoula, MT 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 39% less than in Missoula, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.