Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Missoula?

Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $38,000 in Missoula.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Missoula?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax).

Juneau vs Missoula Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/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 $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 35% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio

$993

$755

+24% in Juneau, AK

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$953

+24% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,176

+29% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,676

+14% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$427,400

+1% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$65,329

+35% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$47,830

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

34.3 yr

+5.5 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

64.4%

47.8%

+16.6 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

51.7%

+11.2 pp in Missoula, MT

Avg Commute

15.8 min

16.6 min

+0.8 min in Missoula, MT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

601.9

+17% in Missoula, MT

Property Crime

2,113.1

3,685.2

+74% in Missoula, MT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

42.1°F

45.9°F

+3.8°F in Missoula, MT

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

14.1 in

+48.1 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$4.27/gal

+18% in Juneau, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

15.1

+46% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$10.12

+42% in Juneau, AK

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / MT)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.65%

+5.7 pp in MT

Juneau vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Missoula?: Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Missoula?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Missoula?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no 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).