Moving from Montana to Arizona
Moving to Arizona on the same salary slightly lowers your real buying power (-3.8%); you'd need about $78,500 to break even. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
The salary comparison above is for W-2 earnings. Your retirement income and budget results appear in the calculator below.
State-median gross rent (2024 ACS): $1,177/month in Montana and $1,672/month in Arizona. These are state benchmarks, not current rental quotes or your own housing costs. Compare your salary offer, housing and moving-cost recovery using the personal-budget option in the calculator.
Equal salary in AZ: $78,500
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $78,500 in Arizona to match $75,000 in Montana ($3,500 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
The renter figure uses ACS gross rent, which includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels. The buyer figure adds electricity separately to mortgage, property tax and insurance. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. These are selected-cost changes, not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | Montana | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $2,877 | $1,473 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $58,716 | $60,120 |
Key facts: Montana to Arizona
- Median rent
- $1,177 → $1,672/mo
- Median home value
- $425,400 → $426,000
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 94.6 → 100.7
- Road distance
- ≈ 1,080 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- High county-score mean → Very high county-score mean
What changes when you move to Arizona
- Your state taxes fall by about $1,404 a year on the same $75,000 salary.
- BEA's housing rents price index is 26% higher in Arizona. Median rent goes from $1,177 to $1,672 a month and the median home value from $425,400 to $426,000.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $1,828 in Arizona vs $2,939 in Montana.
- The average home electric bill is $157 a month in Arizona vs $111 in Montana (EIA 2025), about $556 a year more.
Who moves from Montana to Arizona
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 1,144 households (1,856 people) filed their taxes in Arizona after filing in Montana the year before. That makes Arizona the #3 destination for people leaving Montana. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $80,184. Going the other way, 964 households moved from Arizona to Montana, a net gain of 180 households for Arizona.
Five-year trend
Moves from Montana to Arizona peaked in 2021–22 at 1,172 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 9% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Montana to Arizona
Moving cost: $780–$10,520
Moving about 1,080 miles from Montana to Arizona costs roughly $780 – $10,520, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $780 – $3,250 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,610 – $3,980 |
| Full-service movers Loading, transport and unloading. Packing, storage and other extra services may cost more; confirm the written estimate. | $2,610 – $10,520 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 108 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Montana to Arizona
Car shipping: $910–$1,350
Shipping a sedan from Montana to Arizona on an open carrier costs about $910–$1,350, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,080 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published mainland-to-Hawaii and mainland-to-Alaska prices. Reverse ocean routes reuse those inbound prices as a proxy, not a separately sourced price for that direction. The 25% SUV and 35% enclosed-carrier uplifts are model assumptions; ocean carrier packages and vehicle charges can differ. Not a quote.
Montana vs Arizona take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in AZ | Take-home change | Take-home in MT | Take-home in AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $52,400 | +$746 | $40,762 | $41,508 |
| $75,000 | $78,500 | +$1,404 | $58,716 | $60,120 |
| $100,000 | $103,900 | +$2,192 | $74,891 | $77,083 |
| $150,000 | $154,700 | +$3,767 | $106,677 | $110,444 |
| $250,000 | $256,400 | +$6,917 | $170,418 | $177,335 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Montana, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Montana vs Arizona
| Measure | Montana | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 94.6 | 100.7 |
| Housing rents price index | 84.6 | 106.8 |
| Utilities price index | 72.3 | 92.3 |
| Goods price index | 96.0 | 95.4 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,177 | $1,672 |
| Median home value | $425,400 | $426,000 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $2,939 | $1,828 |
| Electricity (residential) | 15.14¢/kWh | 15.18¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 0% | 5.6% |
| Median household income | $75,340 | $81,486 |
Renting and buying: Montana vs Arizona
| Measure | Montana | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $47,080 | $66,880 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,699 | $2,574 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $115,669 | $110,313 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,617 | $1,189 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $15,476 | $16,384 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Arizona for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Montana vs Arizona
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $41,782 a year in Montana and $44,816 in Arizona if you rent: $3,034 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $61,375 and $57,526 ($3,849 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | MT | AZ | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $16,284 | $14,880 | -$1,404 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $975 | $1,344 | +$369 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,095 | $2,144 | +$49 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,304 | $6,384 | -$1,920 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $14,124 | $20,064 | +$5,940 |
| Total if you rent | $41,782 | $44,816 | +$3,034 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $27,831 | $27,871 | +$40 |
| Property tax median home | $2,939 | $1,828 | -$1,111 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,617 | $1,189 | -$428 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,330 | $1,886 | +$556 |
| Total if you buy | $61,375 | $57,526 | -$3,849 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $15,476 a year in Montana and $16,384 in Arizona (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Cost of living in Arizona cities: Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott.
After you arrive in Arizona
- Arizona new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Montana and Arizona.
- How Arizona taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Arizona to live like I do in Montana?
A $75,000 salary in Montana works out to about $78,500 in Arizona once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $103,900.
Will I pay less tax in Arizona than in Montana?
Yes, about $1,404 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $75,000 salary (21.7% of pay in Montana vs 19.8% in Arizona). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Montana to Arizona?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,080 miles, expect roughly $780–$3,250 with a rental truck, $1,610–$3,980 with a moving container, or $2,610–$10,520 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Montana to Arizona?
Moves from Montana to Arizona peaked in 2021–22 at 1,172 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 9% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Montana to Arizona?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 1,144 households (1,856 people) moved from Montana to Arizona, making Arizona the #3 destination for people leaving Montana. 964 households moved the other way.
Is Arizona cheaper than Montana?
Overall prices in Arizona are 6.4% higher than Montana (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,672 vs $1,177 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Montana actually move
- MT to Washington 1,936 households
- MT to California 1,338 households
- MT to Colorado 1,085 households
- MT to Idaho 1,078 households
- MT to Texas 1,047 households
- MT to Oregon 893 households
- MT to Florida 736 households
- MT to Utah 656 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.