Moving to Maine from Montana

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Montana to Maine — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Montana to Maine, you would find that Maine is 6.7% more expensive than Montana. A $75,000 salary in Montana would need to be roughly $75,057 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 58°F in Helena, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Montana to Maine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $75,057

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.7% more

Groceries

pay 3.2% more

Transportation

pay 8.6% more

Housing

pay 2.2% less

Childcare

pay 34.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Montana to Maine.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MT
437
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MT
1815
ME
1105

Maine performs significantly better than Montana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MT
8.0%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MT
31.8%
ME
33.2%

Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MT
$338,100
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MT
$1,031
ME
$1,084

Maine generally does better on what about housing?, though Montana leads in median rent.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MT
88.7%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MT
19 min
ME
24 min

Montana generally does better on infrastructure, though Maine leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
3.7%
ME
3.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$52,945
ME
$54,958

Maine performs significantly better than Montana across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MT
76.8 yrs
ME
77.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MT
23%
ME
25%

Maine performs significantly 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.

Helena Rain: 11.2 in/yr (285 mm)
58° / 33°F

Avg. annual high / low

Augusta Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1107 mm)
77° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helena Augusta
Jan–Mar 40°/18°F (4°/-8°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/41°F (19°/5°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/50°F (27°/10°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 45°/22°F (7°/-6°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Helena Augusta
Jan 33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C) 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Maine than Montana?

Costs in Maine and Montana are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,764 in Maine on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Maine safe?

Maine performs significantly better than Montana across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Montana?

Montana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Maine compared to Montana?

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 58°F in Helena. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Helena gets 11.2 in.

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