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: $2,041 in Nelson versus $2,427 in Missoula, MT.

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

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

Living in Nelson costs roughly 16% less than in Missoula, MT, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.28 NZ$35.96

$18.30 $18.30

16.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NZ$145

$74.0 $74.0

15.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 NZ$16.11

$9.38 $9.38

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.41

$4.28 $4.28

-25.23%

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

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.13 $2.13

24.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$1.85 $1.85

43.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 NZ$12.50

$6.07 $6.07

21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 NZ$9.99

$6.15 $6.15

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NZ$3.95

$1.01 $1.01

130.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 NZ$3.93

$2.93 $2.93

-20.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.94

$5.00 $5.00

-53.40%

Eggs

$6.29 NZ$10.64

$4.49 $4.49

40.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 NZ$16.82

$16.64 $16.64

-40.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 NZ$13.81

$10.90 $10.90

-25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 NZ$26.94

$16.47 $16.47

-3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 NZ$6.00

$4.68 $4.68

-24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.27

$1.60 $1.60

58.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.02

$5.21 $5.21

-42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 NZ$11.00

$5.43 $5.43

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 NZ$6.41

$2.20 $2.20

72.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 NZ$4.38

$2.58 $2.58

0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NZ$4.36

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.15

$2.26 $2.26

-43.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.68 NZ$51.9

$10.84 $10.84

183.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 NZ$17.04

$24.54 $24.54

-58.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.20

$1.78 $1.78

72.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 NZ$7.53

$2.66 $2.66

67.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 NZ$4.12

$2.05 $2.05

19.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 NZ$108

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 NZ$7.11

$4.93 $4.93

-14.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.77 $1.77

1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.04 NZ$59.2

$40.42 $40.42

-13.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$0.83 $0.83

98.80%

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

$18.7K NZ$31.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

-28.69%

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

$22.1K NZ$37.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

-16.59%

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

$215 NZ$363

$130 $130

65.15%

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

$36.44 NZ$61.6

$59.9 $59.9

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.81 NZ$82.5

$72.5 $72.5

-32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 NZ$82.7

$63.7 $63.7

-23.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.85 NZ$35.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 NZ$16.89

$11.94 $11.94

-16.33%

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

$490 NZ$829

$1,407 $1,407

-65.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.3K

$13.8K $13.8K

-12.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 NZ$101

$53.1 $53.1

12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 NZ$114

$46.61 $46.61

45.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NZ$220

$89.5 $89.5

45.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 NZ$188

$144 $144

-22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 NZ$1,677

$1,567 $1,567

-36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 NZ$1,243

$1,173 $1,173

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 NZ$2,442

$2,966 $2,966

-51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 NZ$2,036

$2,646 $2,646

-54.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 NZ$6,543

$4,039 $4,039

-4.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,133 NZ$5,294

$3,700 $3,700

-15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 NZ$3,469

$3,566 $3,566

-42.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.64

2.71%

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

Last update for Nelson: April 19, 2026

Last update for Missoula, MT: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Nelson and $1,567 in Missoula, MT. 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: $86 in Nelson vs $74 in Missoula, MT. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $422, 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

Nelson vs Missoula, MT: 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.

On paper, Missoula, MT earns 74% less. 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: $992 in Nelson versus $1,567 in Missoula, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Nelson versus $1,407 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 $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, 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 19% less than in Missoula, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.