Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Billings?

Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Billings?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $36,000 in Billings.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Billings?

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

Austin vs Billings Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Billings

Montana

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,030 in Billings, MT. Overall, Billings, MT is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $71,855 in Billings, MT — about 21% higher in Austin, 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.

Austin, TX

Billings, MT

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$877

+35% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$889

+39% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,102

+38% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,398

+34% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$311,800

+39% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$71,855

+21% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$49,060

+14% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

38.1 yr

+3.6 yr in Billings, MT

Homeownership

44.4%

64.8%

+20.4 pp in Billings, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

37.0%

+21.2 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

16.7 min

+7.3 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

750.2

+58% in Billings, MT

Property Crime

3,290.7

3,123.5

+5% in Austin, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

48.2°F

+19.0°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

13.7 in

+21.2 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$4.29/gal

+18% in Billings, MT

Area: Texas vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

14.7

+11% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$8.77

+71% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Billings, MT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Billings, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Billings, MT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Billings, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Billings, 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

Austin vs Billings — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Billings?: Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Billings?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $36,000 in Billings.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Billings?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Billings 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).