CostIndexUSA

Billings, MT vs Lexington, KY Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

MT
Billings
93.5
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
More AffordableKY
Lexington
92.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent

Lexington is slightly cheaper than Billings — 0.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Billings, you would need $79,500 in Lexington. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing≈ Equal
Billings
77.4
Lexington
77.1
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Billings
96
Lexington
96.2
🚗 Transportation1.9%
Billings
103.7
Lexington
101.7
🏥 Healthcare1.9%
Billings
93.8
Lexington
92
Utilities+3.0%
Billings
72.4
Lexington
74.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Lexington, KY
$79,500
$500 less needed in Lexington

Formula: salary × (92.9 ÷ 93.5) = salary × 0.9936. 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×

Lexington, KY

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
77.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

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

Lexington, KY

Median Household Income
$70,000
Per Capita Income
$39,900
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
322,570
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingAgricultureGovernment

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)

Lexington, KY
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% 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.