CostIndexUSA

Billings, MT vs College Station, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

MT
Billings
93.5
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
More AffordableTX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

College Station is slightly cheaper than Billings — 2.7% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Billings, you would need $77,900 in College Station. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing3.0%
Billings
77.4
College Station
75.1
🛒 Groceries2.3%
Billings
96
College Station
93.8
🚗 Transportation2.5%
Billings
103.7
College Station
101.1
🏥 Healthcare2.6%
Billings
93.8
College Station
91.4
Utilities+16.6%
Billings
72.4
College Station
84.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Billings to see what you'd need to earn in College Station to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in College Station, TX
$77,900
$2,100 less needed in College Station

Formula: salary × (91 ÷ 93.5) = salary × 0.9733. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Billings, MT

Median Home Price
$392,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
77.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.3×

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Billings has 3.0% lower housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

Billings, MT

Median Household Income
$70,800
Per Capita Income
$40,400
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
117,116
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareRetailAgricultureManufacturing

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Billings, MT
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.