Moving to Montana from Michigan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Michigan to Montana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Michigan to Montana, you would find that Montana is 16.7% more expensive than Michigan. A $75,000 salary in Michigan would need to be roughly $84,387 in Montana to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Michigan and Montana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $84,387
To maintain the same standard of living in Montana
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 13.4% more
Groceries
pay 12.9% more
Transportation
pay 4.6% less
Housing
pay 19.7% more
Childcare
pay 28.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.6% 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 Michigan.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Michigan generally does better on safety, though Montana leads in violent crime rate.
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 Michigan leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Michigan 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
Michigan 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
Michigan generally does better on employment & economy, though Montana 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 Michigan 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 | Lansing | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/21°F (2°/-6°C) | 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) | 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/57°F (26°/14°C) | 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lansing | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.8°/-8.3°C) | 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) |
| Feb | 34°/19°F (0.9°/-7.4°C) | 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) |
| Mar | 44°/27°F (6.7°/-2.8°C) | 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 58°/38°F (14.2°/3.3°C) | 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) |
| May | 69°/48°F (20.5°/8.9°C) | 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.2°C) | 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) |
| Aug | 81°/60°F (27.0°/15.5°C) | 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) |
| Sep | 74°/51°F (23.1°/10.8°C) | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/41°F (15.8°/5.1°C) | 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) |
| Nov | 47°/33°F (8.6°/0.5°C) | 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) |
| Dec | 35°/22°F (1.6°/-5.3°C) | 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Montana than Michigan?
On average Montana is around 13% pricier than Michigan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Montana?
Budget about $21,097 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?
Michigan generally does better on safety, though Montana leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Montana compared to Michigan?
Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Michigan leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Montana compared to Michigan?
The average high temperature in Helena is 58°F, compared to 58°F in Lansing. Helena receives around 11.2 in of rainfall per year, while Lansing gets 32.2 in.
