Living Cost Compare
Billings

Montana

$1,030/mo est.

vs
Charleston

West Virginia

$860/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Billings, MT versus $860 in Charleston, WV. Overall, Charleston, WV is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Billings, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,855 in Billings, MT and $64,512 in Charleston, WV — about 10% higher in Billings, MT. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Billings, MT
Charleston, WV

Rent

Studio
$877
$630
+28% in Billings, MT
1 Bedroom
$889
$668
+25% in Billings, MT
2 Bedroom
$1,102
$980
+11% in Billings, MT
3 Bedroom
$1,398
$1,139
+19% in Billings, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,800
$187,300
+40% in Billings, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$71,855
$64,512
+10% in Billings, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,060
$45,830
+7% in Billings, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
42.6 yr
+4.5 yr in Charleston, WV
Homeownership
64.8%
62.8%
+2.0 pp in Billings, MT
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.0%
44.1%
+7.1 pp in Charleston, WV
Avg Commute
16.7 min
17.9 min
+1.2 min in Charleston, WV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
750.2
542.7
+28% in Billings, MT
Property Crime
3,123.5
3,148
+1% in Charleston, WV

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
48.2°F
55.7°F
+7.5°F in Charleston, WV
Annual Precipitation
13.7 in
44.0 in
+30.4 in in Charleston, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.86/gal
+10% in Billings, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.7
16.8
+15% in Charleston, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$8.77
$24.68
+181% in Charleston, WV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Billings, MT
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Billings, MT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Charleston, WV
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Billings, MT
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Billings, MT
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Billings, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / WV)
None
6%
+6.0 pp in WV
Income Tax (top rate)
5.65%
4.82%
+0.8 pp in MT

Billings vs Charleston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Billings or Charleston?
Charleston, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $860 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Billings, MT's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Billings than in Charleston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Billings versus $27,000 in Charleston.
Which has lower taxes, Billings or Charleston?
Billings is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Charleston under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% 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).