| Index | Kalispell | Montana | National |
| Cost of living | 107 | 102 | 100 |
| Groceries | 105 | 103 | 100 |
| Health care | 103 | 102 | 100 |
| Housing | 120 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 102 | 104 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 103 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 101 | 102 | 100 |
The cost of living in Kalispell affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Kalispell is 107, which is 7% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Kalispell are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Kalispell 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 knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 5 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Kalispell. The results indicated that 40% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 60% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.
Is Kalispell affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Kalispell, for instance, where the median home price falls 34.9% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 16.1% lower than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Kalispell flaunting a median household income of $71,294, 12.3% lower than the national norm.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Kalispell, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 0%, and income tax rates start at 1%.
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.
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 Kalispell, the housing index stands at 19.6% higher than the national average.
The Kalispell cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| 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 | $106,241 | $8,853 | $2,479 | $3,188 |
| Renters | $45,488 | $3,791 | $1,061 | $1,365 |
| 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. |
| Hungry Horse, MT | 669 | 87 | 13.1% |
| Forest Hill Village, MT | 101 | 88 | 11.6% |
| Martin City, MT | 377 | 89 | 10.8% |
| Batavia, MT | 495 | 98 | 2.2% |
| Coram, MT | 310 | 103 | 2.5% |
| Kalispell, MT | 24,848 | 107 | 6.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Okemos, MI | 24,848 | 109 | 9.0% |
| Somerset, NJ | 24,856 | 133 | 32.6% |
| Freeport, IL | 24,837 | 82 | 17.6% |
| Sturgeon County, AB | 24,881 | n/a | |
| Camas, WA | 24,814 | 140 | 40.3% |
| Kalispell, MT | 24,848 | 107 | 6.9% |
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