Moving to Montana from Kentucky
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kentucky to Montana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kentucky to Montana, you would find that Montana is 18.0% more expensive than Kentucky. A $75,000 salary in Kentucky would need to be roughly $86,421 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helena averages 58°F vs 69°F in Bowling Green, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kentucky and Montana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $86,421
To maintain the same standard of living in Montana
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 17.7% more
Groceries
pay 16.1% more
Transportation
pay 3.9% more
Housing
pay 24.3% more
Childcare
pay 12.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.7% more
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
The numbers behind daily life in Montana compared to Kentucky.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Kentucky 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
Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Kentucky generally does better on what about housing?, though Montana leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Montana performs significantly better than Kentucky across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Montana generally does better on employment & economy, though Kentucky leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Montana performs significantly better than Kentucky 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 | Bowling Green | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C) | 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 59°/38°F (15°/3°C) | 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bowling Green | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C) | 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) |
| Feb | 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C) | 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) |
| Mar | 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C) | 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C) | 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C) | 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C) | 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jul | 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C) | 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C) | 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) |
| Sep | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) |
| Oct | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) |
| Nov | 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C) | 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) |
| Dec | 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C) | 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Kentucky?
On average Montana is around 15% pricier than Kentucky, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Montana?
Budget about $21,605 for 3 months in Montana (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Montana safe?
Kentucky performs better than Montana across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Montana compared to Kentucky?
Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Montana compared to Kentucky?
The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 69°F in Bowling Green. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bowling Green gets 49.9 in.
