Moving to Montana from Hawaii
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Hawaii to Montana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Hawaii to Montana, you would find that Montana is 14.8% cheaper than Hawaii. A $75,000 salary in Hawaii would need to be roughly $55,958 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helena averages 58°F vs 84°F in Honolulu, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Hawaii to Montana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $55,958
To maintain the same standard of living in Montana
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 21.2% less
Groceries
pay 43.1% less
Transportation
pay 25.1% less
Housing
pay 17.1% less
Childcare
pay 12.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Hawaii to Montana.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Hawaii performs better than Montana across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Hawaii generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Montana leads in diabetes rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Montana performs significantly better than Hawaii across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Hawaii generally does better on infrastructure, though Montana leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Hawaii performs better than Montana across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Hawaii performs better than Montana across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Honolulu | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) | 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) | 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) | 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) | 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Honolulu | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) | 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) |
| Feb | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) | 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) |
| Mar | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) | 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) | 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) |
| May | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) | 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) | 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jul | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) | 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) | 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) |
| Sep | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) |
| Oct | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) | 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) |
| Nov | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) | 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) |
| Dec | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) | 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Hawaii?
Yes — Montana is on average about 25% cheaper than Hawaii. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Montana?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,990 in Montana on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Montana safe?
Hawaii performs better than Montana across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Montana compared to Hawaii?
Hawaii generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Montana leads in diabetes rate.
What's the weather like in Montana compared to Hawaii?
The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 84°F in Honolulu. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Honolulu gets 17.1 in.
