Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Missoula?

Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Missoula?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $38,000 in Missoula.

Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Missoula?

Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax).

Charlotte vs Missoula Cost of Living 2026

Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/mo est.

Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 17% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC

Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio

$1,424

$755

+47% in Charlotte, NC

1 Bedroom

$1,374

$953

+31% in Charlotte, NC

2 Bedroom

$1,491

$1,176

+21% in Charlotte, NC

3 Bedroom

$1,663

$1,676

+1% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$351,500

$427,400

+22% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$78,438

$65,329

+17% in Charlotte, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,990

$47,830

+4% in Charlotte, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.4 yr

34.3 yr

+0.1 yr in Charlotte, NC

Homeownership

51.5%

47.8%

+3.7 pp in Charlotte, NC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

47.4%

51.7%

+4.3 pp in Missoula, MT

Avg Commute

25.0 min

16.6 min

+8.4 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

733.1

601.9

+18% in Charlotte, NC

Property Crime

3,718.9

3,685.2

+1% in Charlotte, NC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

59.9°F

45.9°F

+14.0°F in Charlotte, NC

Annual Precipitation

41.6 in

14.1 in

+27.5 in in Charlotte, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$4.27/gal

+8% in Missoula, MT

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.20

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.7

15.1

+3% in Missoula, MT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.10

$10.12

+66% in Charlotte, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Missoula, MT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Missoula, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charlotte, NC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Missoula, MT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Missoula, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / MT)

4.75%

None

+4.8 pp in NC

Income Tax (top rate)

3.99%

5.65%

+1.7 pp in MT

Charlotte vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Missoula?: Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Missoula?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Missoula?: Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Missoula 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).