Moving to Montana from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Germany to Montana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Germany to Montana, you would find that Montana is 19.5% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,850 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $76,680 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Germany to Montana.

What does your salary buy?

€65,850 $76,680

To maintain the same standard of living in Montana

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 7.2% less

Groceries

pay 26.4% more

Transportation

pay 34.2% less

Housing

pay 44.7% more

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 EUR = 1.14 USD(June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Montana cost about 9% more than cities in Germany.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Montana

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Germany to Montana, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
4,430 ↑ 6% vs 2022

people moved from Germany to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Germany to Montana.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rateThe World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

DE
22.3%
MT
31.8%

Germany performs better than Montana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessThe World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

DE
91.0%
MT
88.7%

Germany performs better than Montana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.0%
MT
3.7%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
MT
$52,945

Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Montana leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
81.5 yrs
MT
76.8 yrs

Germany performs better than Montana across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

BerlinRain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56°/43°F

Avg. annual high / low

HelenaRain: 11.2 in/yr (285 mm)
58°/33°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsBerlinHelena
Jan–Mar41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)40°/18°F (4°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun64°/47°F (18°/8°C)67°/41°F (19°/5°C)
Jul–Sep72°/55°F (22°/13°C)81°/50°F (27°/10°C)
Oct–Dec47°/37°F (8°/3°C)45°/22°F (7°/-6°C)
View all months
MonthBerlinHelena
Jan37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C)
Feb40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C)
Mar47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C)
Apr56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C)
May66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C)
Jun71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C)
Jul75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C)
Aug74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C)
Sep66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C)
Oct56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C)
Nov45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C)
Dec40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Germany passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Germany without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Germany?

Costs in Montana and Germany are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Montana?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,170 in Montana on a €65,850 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Montana?

Usually fine from major cities in Montana. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Montana compared to Germany?

Germany performs better than Montana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Montana compared to Germany?

The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Montana?

The official language in Montana is English. In Germany, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

DE
Population84,316,622989,415
CurrencyEuro (€)United States Dollar ($)
LanguagesGermanEnglish
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+49+1
Time zones111
Emergency number112911