Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or Fort Worth?

Bozeman, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.

Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or Fort Worth?

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

Bozeman vs Fort Worth Cost of Living 2026

Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/mo est.

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/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 $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX. Overall, Bozeman, MT is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $79,903 in Bozeman, MT and $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX — about 4% higher in Bozeman, MT. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Bozeman, MT

Fort Worth, TX

Rent

Studio

$1,064

$1,310

+23% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,214

$1,191

+2% in Bozeman, MT

2 Bedroom

$1,528

$1,393

+9% in Bozeman, MT

3 Bedroom

$2,057

$1,721

+16% in Bozeman, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$614,900

$277,300

+55% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$79,903

$76,602

+4% in Bozeman, MT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,830

$51,440

+6% in Bozeman, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

33.4 yr

+4.8 yr in Fort Worth, TX

Homeownership

44.6%

56.7%

+12.1 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

65.1%

31.7%

+33.4 pp in Bozeman, MT

Avg Commute

15.4 min

26.9 min

+11.5 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

451.2

465.2

+3% in Fort Worth, TX

Property Crime

1,808.3

2,735.7

+51% in Fort Worth, TX

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

65.7°F

+20.4°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

14.0 in

36.1 in

+22.1 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.58/gal

+16% in Bozeman, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

15.9

+5% in Fort Worth, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$10.12

$31.89

+215% in Fort Worth, TX

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 Fort Worth, TX

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 / TX)

None

6.25%

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

5.65%

None

+5.7 pp in MT

Bozeman vs Fort Worth — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or Fort Worth?: Bozeman, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bozeman than in Fort Worth?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.
Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or Fort Worth?: Bozeman is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).