Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or Fayetteville?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.

Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or Fayetteville?

Bozeman is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Bozeman vs Fayetteville Cost of Living 2026

Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/mo est.

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,360 in Bozeman, MT versus $990 in Fayetteville, AR. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bozeman, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $79,903 in Bozeman, MT and $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR — about 26% higher in Bozeman, MT. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Bozeman, MT

Fayetteville, AR

Rent

Studio

$1,064

$709

+33% in Bozeman, MT

1 Bedroom

$1,214

$817

+33% in Bozeman, MT

2 Bedroom

$1,528

$999

+35% in Bozeman, MT

3 Bedroom

$2,057

$1,430

+30% in Bozeman, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$614,900

$322,500

+48% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$79,903

$59,074

+26% in Bozeman, MT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,830

$46,610

+15% in Bozeman, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

28.7 yr

+0.1 yr in Fayetteville, AR

Homeownership

44.6%

41.9%

+2.7 pp in Bozeman, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

65.1%

49.8%

+15.3 pp in Bozeman, MT

Avg Commute

15.4 min

18.2 min

+2.8 min in Fayetteville, AR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

451.2

429.4

+5% in Bozeman, MT

Property Crime

1,808.3

2,392.2

+32% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.3°F

57.1°F

+11.8°F in Fayetteville, AR

Annual Precipitation

14.0 in

48.5 in

+34.5 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Bozeman, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

14.1

+7% in Bozeman, MT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$10.12

$27.86

+175% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Bozeman, MT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Bozeman, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Fayetteville, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Bozeman, MT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Bozeman, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Bozeman, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / AR)

None

6.5%

+6.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

5.65%

3.90%

+1.8 pp in MT

Bozeman vs Fayetteville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or Fayetteville?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bozeman than in Fayetteville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.
Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or Fayetteville?: Bozeman is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).