Moving to Montana from Maine
What to Expect
Considering a move from Maine to Montana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Maine to Montana, you would find that Montana is 1.8% cheaper than Maine. A $75,000 salary in Maine would need to be roughly $74,943 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helena averages 58°F vs 77°F in Augusta, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Maine and Montana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $74,943
To maintain the same standard of living in Montana
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.0% less
Groceries
pay 0.4% more
Transportation
pay 1.5% less
Housing
pay 2.8% more
Childcare
pay 19.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.6% 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 Maine.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Maine 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
Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Montana leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Maine generally does better on what about housing?, though Montana leads in median rent.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Maine 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
Maine 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
Maine 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 | Augusta | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/37°F (17°/3°C) | 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) | 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/67°F (33°/20°C) | 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/42°F (21°/6°C) | 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Augusta | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C) | 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) |
| Feb | 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C) | 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) |
| Mar | 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C) | 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C) | 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) |
| May | 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C) | 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C) | 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C) | 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) | 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) |
| Sep | 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C) | 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) |
| Nov | 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C) | 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) |
| Dec | 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C) | 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Maine?
Montana and Maine are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Montana?
Budget about $18,736 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?
Maine performs better than Montana across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Montana compared to Maine?
Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Montana leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Montana compared to Maine?
The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 77°F in Augusta. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Augusta gets 43.6 in.
