2026 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Missoula, MT vs Chico, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Chico or is it cheaper to live in Missoula?
- Chico is 2.2% less expensive than Missoula.

Which city has more affordable housing, Chico or Missoula?
- Chico housing costs are 7.6% less expensive than Missoula housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Missoula or is Health Care more affordable in Chico.
- Health related expenses are 18.8% more in Chico.
 Missoula, MTChico, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock110.3100
 Food & Groceries103.9  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock120.8100
 Housing157.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$440,000$338,100
 Utilities86  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock84.9100
 Miscellaneous111.8  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?

In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.

Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate

Upgrade to Premium | See Example

Reviews for Missoula    48 Reviews

I've lived here for 10 years and my view of the city has turned as we (barely) managed to buy a home, started a family, and the blight of homelessness has escalated out  More

   |    Reply

Over 6 years ago

I lived here for 6 years, and it never got any easier to live, I'm a Native American, these people her look down on us, I have been put in jail for sitting in a parking  More

   |    Reply

I have lived in Missoula on and off for the last 30 years, but consistently for the last 12. I met my wife and had my kids here. My father and my wife's entire family  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Missoula

Reviews for Chico    31 Reviews

Chico is imperfect like most places, but it's still good. Any and all of it's issues proceed from it's main fault of growing increasingly liberal, which is to be  More

   |    Reply

Uuwuu · 
Over 4 years ago

Chico's decent. I've been living here for ~5 years now. Eveen though my brother loves Chico and would like to stay, I would like to leave. I have no issues with crime or  More

   |    Reply

I was born in Oroville and I grew up in Oroville and Biggs. I have heard all my life about crime in chico. Well I have lived in Chico near Chapman for almost 10 years  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Chico


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.