CostIndexUSA

Gainesville, FL vs Missoula, MT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostFL
Gainesville
96.7
overall index
$1,650/mo rent
MT
Missoula
96.4
overall index
$1,550/mo rent

Gainesville and Missoula have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+2.0%
Gainesville
93
Missoula
94.9
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Gainesville
96.2
Missoula
96
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Gainesville
103.8
Missoula
103.7
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Gainesville
93.9
Missoula
93.8
Utilities18.3%
Gainesville
88.2
Missoula
72.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Gainesville to see what you'd need to earn in Missoula to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Missoula, MT
$79,800
$200 less needed in Missoula

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 96.7) = salary × 0.9969. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Gainesville, FL

Median Home Price
$294,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
93
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Missoula, MT

Median Home Price
$552,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
94.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.7×

Missoula has 2.0% higher housing costs compared to Gainesville.

Income & Job Market

Gainesville, FL

Median Household Income
$59,300
Per Capita Income
$33,800
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
140,003
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentResearch

Missoula, MT

Median Household Income
$73,300
Per Capita Income
$41,800
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Population
73,489
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTourismGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

Gainesville, FL
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Missoula, MT
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% 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.