Living Cost Compare
Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/mo est.

vs
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,230/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 $1,230 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bozeman, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $79,903 in Bozeman, MT and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO — about 16% higher in Bozeman, MT. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Bozeman, MT
Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,064
$961
+10% in Bozeman, MT
1 Bedroom
$1,214
$1,031
+15% in Bozeman, MT
2 Bedroom
$1,528
$1,211
+21% in Bozeman, MT
3 Bedroom
$2,057
$1,381
+33% in Bozeman, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$614,900
$227,000
+63% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$79,903
$67,449
+16% in Bozeman, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,830
$50,820
+7% in Bozeman, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
35.7 yr
+7.1 yr in Kansas City, MO
Homeownership
44.6%
54.6%
+10.0 pp in Kansas City, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
65.1%
37.8%
+27.3 pp in Bozeman, MT
Avg Commute
15.4 min
21.9 min
+6.5 min in Kansas City, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
451.2
1,557.1
+245% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
1,808.3
4,722.1
+161% in Kansas City, MO

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
56.7°F
+11.4°F in Kansas City, MO
Annual Precipitation
14.0 in
39.1 in
+25.1 in in Kansas City, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.85/gal
+10% in Bozeman, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
16.2
+7% in Kansas City, MO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.12
$28.78
+184% in Kansas City, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Bozeman, MT
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.66
+19% in Bozeman, MT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Kansas City, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Bozeman, MT
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Kansas City, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Bozeman, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / MO)
None
4.225%
+4.2 pp in MO
Income Tax (top rate)
5.65%
4.70%
+1.0 pp in MT

Bozeman vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or Kansas City?
Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bozeman than in Kansas City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or Kansas City?
Bozeman is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).