Living Cost Compare
Long Beach

California

$1,970/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,970 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,969 in Long Beach, CA and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 22% higher in Long Beach, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Long Beach, CA
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$1,447
$755
+48% in Long Beach, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,634
$953
+42% in Long Beach, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,979
$1,176
+41% in Long Beach, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,360
$1,676
+29% in Long Beach, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$762,200
$427,400
+44% in Long Beach, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,969
$65,329
+22% in Long Beach, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,850
$47,830
+14% in Long Beach, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.8 yr
34.3 yr
+2.5 yr in Long Beach, CA
Homeownership
40.9%
47.8%
+6.9 pp in Missoula, MT
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.8%
51.7%
+16.9 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
30.0 min
16.6 min
+13.4 min in Long Beach, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
690
601.9
+13% in Long Beach, CA
Property Crime
3,584.4
3,685.2
+3% 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
64.7°F
45.9°F
+18.8°F in Long Beach, CA
Annual Precipitation
12.3 in
14.1 in
+1.9 in in Missoula, MT

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.53/gal
$4.27/gal
+23% in Long Beach, CA

Area: Los Angeles vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — Long Beach Transit vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
34.7
15.1
+56% in Long Beach, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.33
$10.12
+50% in Long Beach, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / MT)
7.25%
None
+7.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
5.65%
+7.7 pp in CA

Long Beach vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Long Beach or Missoula?
Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Long Beach, CA's $1,970, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Long Beach than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $65,000 a year in Long Beach versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Long Beach or Missoula?
Long Beach is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).