Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Bozeman?

Bozeman, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $49,000 in Bozeman.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Bozeman?

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

Austin vs Bozeman Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/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 $1,360 in Bozeman, MT. Overall, Bozeman, MT is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $79,903 in Bozeman, MT — about 13% 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

Bozeman, MT

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,064

+21% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,214

+17% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,528

+14% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$2,057

+3% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$614,900

+20% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$79,903

+13% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$54,830

+4% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

28.6 yr

+5.9 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

44.6%

+0.2 pp in Bozeman, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

65.1%

+6.9 pp in Bozeman, MT

Avg Commute

24.0 min

15.4 min

+8.6 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

451.2

+5% in Austin, TX

Property Crime

3,290.7

1,808.3

+45% 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

45.3°F

+21.9°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

14.0 in

+20.9 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$4.27/gal

+19% in Bozeman, 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)

15.9

15.1

+5% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$10.12

+68% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Bozeman, MT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Bozeman, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Bozeman, MT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Bozeman, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Bozeman, 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 Bozeman — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Bozeman?: Bozeman, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Bozeman?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $49,000 in Bozeman.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Bozeman?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Bozeman 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).