| Index | Helena | Montana | National |
| Cost of living | 110 | 102 | 100 |
| Groceries | 102 | 103 | 100 |
| Health care | 101 | 102 | 100 |
| Housing | 128 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 102 | 104 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 103 | 102 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Helena allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Helena stands at 110, marking it 10% higher than the national average.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Helena are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Helena can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
When it comes to the cost of living in Helena, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 28.5% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 10 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Helena and this is how they responded. 30% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 70% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.
Is Helena an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Helena, the median home price is 45.1% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 10.2% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Helena come in at $89,267, which is 9.8% higher than the national average.
Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Helena, the housing index stands at 28.5% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Helena, the groceries index is 2.4% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.
The cost of living data for Helena shown above is based on a U.S. average baseline score of 100, making it easier to compare how far your dollar may go from one city to another. Housing uses U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all remaining values are AI-assisted estimates informed by regional pricing, climate, transportation dynamics, and local economic factors. These scores are best used for directional comparisons between cities.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $118,699 | $9,892 | $2,769 | $3,561 |
| Renters | $61,934 | $5,161 | $1,445 | $1,858 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Montana | 0% | 0% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Montana | 1% | 6.75% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Marysville, MT | 73 | 97 | 3.3% |
| East Helena, MT | 1,731 | 102 | 2.0% |
| Helena Valley Southeast, MT | 8,816 | 106 | 5.8% |
| Jefferson City, MT | 614 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Helena Valley Northwest, MT | 4,403 | 112 | 11.8% |
| Helena, MT | 33,820 | 110 | 9.8% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Houma, LA | 33,829 | 94 | 6.5% |
| Lewiston, ID | 33,803 | 102 | 2.3% |
| LaSalle, ON | 33,838 | n/a | |
| Walla Walla, WA | 33,841 | 111 | 11.4% |
| Pueblo West, CO | 33,798 | 110 | 10.5% |
| Helena, MT | 33,820 | 110 | 9.8% |
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