Moving to Montana from Louisiana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Louisiana to Montana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Louisiana to Montana, you would find that Montana is 21.1% more expensive than Louisiana. A $75,000 salary in Louisiana would need to be roughly $84,193 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helena averages 58°F vs 79°F in Baton Rouge, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Louisiana and Montana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $84,193
To maintain the same standard of living in Montana
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.2% more
Groceries
pay 7.0% more
Transportation
pay 4.8% more
Housing
pay 19.8% more
Childcare
pay 64.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.1% 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 Louisiana.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Montana performs significantly better than Louisiana 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 Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Montana generally does better on what about housing?, though Louisiana leads in median home value.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Montana performs significantly better than Louisiana 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 Louisiana leads in gdp per capita.
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 Louisiana 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 | Baton Rouge | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 67°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) | 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baton Rouge | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) |
| Feb | 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C) | 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) |
| Mar | 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C) | 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C) | 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) |
| May | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C) | 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C) | 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C) | 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C) | 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) |
| Sep | 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) |
| Oct | 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) | 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) |
| Nov | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) | 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) |
| Dec | 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C) | 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Louisiana?
On average Montana is around 12% pricier than Louisiana, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Montana?
Budget about $21,048 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?
Montana performs significantly better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Montana compared to Louisiana?
Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Montana compared to Louisiana?
The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 79°F in Baton Rouge. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Baton Rouge gets 60.6 in.
