CostIndexUSA

Missoula, MT vs Raleigh, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableMT
Missoula
96.4
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
NC
Raleigh
98.2
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Missoula is slightly cheaper than Raleigh — 1.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Missoula, you would need $81,500 in Raleigh. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+9.1%
Missoula
94.9
Raleigh
103.5
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Missoula
96
Raleigh
96.6
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Missoula
103.7
Raleigh
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Missoula
93.8
Raleigh
93.3
Utilities+23.4%
Missoula
72.1
Raleigh
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Raleigh, NC
$81,500
$1,500 more needed in Raleigh

Formula: salary × (98.2 ÷ 96.4) = salary × 1.0187. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Missoula, MT

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

Raleigh, NC

Median Home Price
$428,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
103.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.6×

Raleigh has 9.1% higher housing costs compared to Missoula.

Income & Job Market

Missoula, MT

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

Raleigh, NC

Median Household Income
$96,100
Per Capita Income
$54,800
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
467,665
Top Industries
TechnologyEducationHealthcareFinanceGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

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

Missoula, MT
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Raleigh, NC
4.9×income-to-rent ratio

79% 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.