Where Montana’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022
How does living in the Treasure state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Montana’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Montana, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,751 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 13 cities and towns across Montana, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Montana and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Montana’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Montana residents pay $1,751 in household bills a month
The average Montana household pays $1,751 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Montana residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 36th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Michigan ranks 35th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,754, and Tennessee ranks 37th, at $1,734.
Montana’s household expenses, on average, are 12.6% lower than the national average of $2,003.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Montana households spend 40% of their income on household bills. For example, Connecticut is the 6th most expensive state and New York is the 7th most expensive, but New York residents spend 39% of their income on bills, while Connecticut residents spend only 35%. Still, Montana residents spend more than both groups on bills, at 40% of household income.
Annually, Montana residents pay $9 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Montana by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Montana
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,751 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $9 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 36 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 40%
- Difference from the National Average: 12.6% lower
Housing bill category drives Montana’s low monthly bill expenses
The average Montana household pays $1,751 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Montana is $1,200, and average rent is $812, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,368 and rent bill of $1,129.
Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for residents of Montana. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Montana is $392 a month, compared to the national average of $433.
Compared to the national average, utilities are also a notably higher expense for residents of Montana. The average household in the state pays $348 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $328.
Health insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Montana. While US residents on average spend $144 per month on car insurance, in Montana they spend just $123.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Montana Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Montana Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Montana Percent +/- National Average ($2,003) |
| Mortgage | $1,200 | $1,368 | 13% lower |
| Rent | $812 | $1,129 | 33% lower |
| Auto Loan | $392 | $433 | 10% lower |
| Utilities | $348 | $328 | 6% higher |
| Auto Insurance | $195 | $196 | 1% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $106 | $114 | 7% lower |
| Health Insurance | $114 | $123 | 8% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $113 | $113 | 0% higher |
| Alarm & Security | $82 | $84 | 2% lower |
| Life Insurance | $70 | $82 | 16% lower |
| Total | $1,751 | $2,003 | 12.6% lower |
Whitefish tops the list of most expensive cities for Montana’s household bills
Residents of Whitefish pay the highest household bills in the state of Montana, at an average of $2,242 per month. Bozeman comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,189 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Whitefish’s bills are costlier than ones in Bozeman. While Whitefish’s monthly bill basket makes up 46% of average household income there, Bozeman’s bill basket accounts for just 44% of average household income in that area.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Montana Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 13) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Whitefish | $2,242 | 46% |
| 2 | Bozeman | $2,189 | 44% |
| 3 | Missoula | $2,099 | 51% |
| 4 | Belgrade | $2,004 | 35% |
| 5 | Kalispell | $1,856 | 43% |
| 6 | Billings | $1,789 | 37% |
| 7 | Havre | $1,785 | 43% |
| 8 | Helena | $1,747 | 33% |
| 9 | Columbia Falls | $1,725 | 42% |
| 10 | Hamilton | $1,718 | 50% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Livingston is the most affordable Montana city for household bills
Out of 13 cities and towns, Livingston is the most affordable place in Montana, with residents paying $1,523 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 39% of local income in Livingston. Great Falls comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Montana, with residents paying $1,624 per month on average with household bills accounting for 39% of local income. Butte is the third most affordable with residents paying $1,624 per month on average and household bills accounting for 47% of local income.
In the wake of the rise of remote work, some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Montana’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also usedoxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.