How Much Do You Need To Live Comfortably In Montana?

We talk a lot about the high cost of living here in Montana. Housing prices are through the roof and continue to rise, groceries are more than ever before, and it seems that as soon as we catch a break at the pump, the prices go back up.

So how much do you need to make to live comfortably in Montana?

Well, that's a bit of a loaded question, considering my idea and your idea of comfort might differ. For some, comfort means a roof over their head and food on the table, for others, they require a little bit more luxury such as vacations, ski passes, and rounds of golf.

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The question is, can you put a number on what living comfortably in Montana would cost?  Apparently, according to one source you can, and that amount might raise some Montanan's eyebrows.

How much does it cost per year to live in comfort in Montana?

The website Science Sensei decided to take a look at all 50 states to determine how much you would need to live comfortably in each and while some states are much less than others, what about Montana? How much do you need to make per year to live a comfortable Montana life?

According to the website, to live comfortably here in The Treasure State, you need to make just over 70 thousand dollars a year. Now, I can't speak for you or your finances, but I'm calling BS on this. At first, I thought maybe the article was written a few years back, however, it was written in 2023.

This is what Science Sensei had to say about living in Montana:

Rent is very affordable at just $561 to $1,286 per month, and buying a house will set you back $242,100. They are called “The Big Sky State” because of their mountain ranges and beautiful views of the stars.

It seems that our friends over at Science Sensei have 1. Never been to Montana. 2. Are looking at some very outdated numbers. The truth is you would have to double or triple those numbers for rent and home costs.

Not only can most Montanans not live comfortably on 70 thousand dollars a year, but many Montanans struggle to get by on those numbers, especially if they have a family or live in places like Bozeman or Missoula. However, before I decided to look further into it. According to the SoFi, the average amount of money needed to live here is...just under 48 thousand dollars a year.

So, maybe you can live comfortably here for 70 grand a year, but I'm still calling BS.