Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Missoula?

Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Missoula?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $38,000 in Missoula.

Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Missoula?

Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax).

Arlington vs Missoula Cost of Living 2026

Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 11% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Arlington, TX

Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio

$1,088

$755

+31% in Arlington, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$953

+19% in Arlington, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,410

$1,176

+17% in Arlington, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$1,676

+8% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$276,400

$427,400

+55% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$73,519

$65,329

+11% in Arlington, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$47,830

+7% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.6 yr

34.3 yr

+0.7 yr in Missoula, MT

Homeownership

54.8%

47.8%

+7.0 pp in Arlington, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.1%

51.7%

+18.6 pp in Missoula, MT

Avg Commute

26.7 min

16.6 min

+10.1 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

494.2

601.9

+22% in Missoula, MT

Property Crime

2,434.5

3,685.2

+51% in Missoula, MT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.4°F

45.9°F

+19.5°F in Arlington, TX

Annual Precipitation

39.6 in

14.1 in

+25.5 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$4.27/gal

+19% in Missoula, MT

Area: Texas vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

N/A

—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

15.1

+5% in Arlington, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$10.12

+68% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Missoula, MT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Missoula, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Arlington, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Missoula, MT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Missoula, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Missoula, MT

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MT)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.65%

+5.7 pp in MT

Arlington vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Missoula?: Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Missoula?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Missoula?: Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).