Moving from Montana to South Dakota
Moving to South Dakota on the same salary raises your real buying power by 12.0%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in SD: $65,700
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $65,700 in South Dakota to match $75,000 in Montana ($9,300 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | Montana | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $2,877 | $0 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $58,716 | $61,593 |
Key facts: Montana to South Dakota
- Median rent
- $1,177 → $999/mo
- Median home value
- $425,400 → $289,600
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 94.6 → 88.6
- Road distance
- ≈ 740 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → About average
What changes when you move to South Dakota
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages. At $75,000 you'd stop paying about $2,877 a year in Montana income tax.
- BEA's housing price index is 20% lower in South Dakota. Median rent goes from $1,177 to $999 a month and the median home value from $425,400 to $289,600.
- The average home electric bill is $128 a month in South Dakota vs $108 in Montana (EIA 2024), about $239 a year more.
Who moves from Montana to South Dakota
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 294 households (514 people) filed their taxes in South Dakota after filing in Montana the year before. That makes South Dakota the #16 destination for people leaving Montana. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $65,636. Going the other way, 254 households moved from South Dakota to Montana, a net gain of 40 households for South Dakota.
Five-year trend
Moves from Montana to South Dakota reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 37% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Montana to South Dakota
Moving cost: $600–$8,330
Moving about 740 miles from Montana to South Dakota costs roughly $600 – $8,330, 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. | $600 – $2,230 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,410 – $3,230 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $2,300 – $8,330 |
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 74 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 South Dakota
Car shipping: $780–$1,170
Shipping a sedan from Montana to South Dakota on an open carrier costs about $780–$1,170, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 740 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 Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Montana vs South Dakota take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in SD | Take-home change | Take-home in MT | Take-home in SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $44,800 | +$1,593 | $40,762 | $42,355 |
| $75,000 | $65,700 | +$2,877 | $58,716 | $61,593 |
| $100,000 | $87,200 | +$4,289 | $74,891 | $79,180 |
| $150,000 | $129,700 | +$7,114 | $106,677 | $113,791 |
| $250,000 | $214,500 | +$12,764 | $170,418 | $183,182 |
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 South Dakota
| Measure | Montana | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 94.6 | 88.6 |
| Housing price index | 84.6 | 67.6 |
| Utilities price index | 72.3 | 79.7 |
| Goods price index | 96.0 | 95.5 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,177 | $999 |
| Median home value | $425,400 | $289,600 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $2,939 | $2,940 |
| Electricity (residential) | 15.14¢/kWh | 15.36¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 0% | 4.2% |
| Median household income | $75,340 | $76,881 |
Renting and buying: Montana vs South Dakota
| Measure | Montana | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $47,080 | $39,960 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,632 | $1,924 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $112,817 | $82,476 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,617 | $1,750 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $15,080 | $8,632 |
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 South Dakota for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Montana vs South Dakota
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $43,194 a year in Montana and $37,801 in South Dakota if you rent: $5,393 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $60,659 and $48,906 ($11,753 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | MT | SD | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $16,284 | $13,408 | -$2,876 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,295 | $1,534 | +$239 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $975 | $937 | -$38 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,212 | $2,074 | -$138 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,304 | $7,860 | -$444 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $14,124 | $11,988 | -$2,136 |
| Total if you rent | $43,194 | $37,801 | -$5,393 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $27,033 | $18,403 | -$8,630 |
| Property tax median home | $2,939 | $2,940 | +$1 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,617 | $1,750 | +$133 |
| Total if you buy | $60,659 | $48,906 | -$11,753 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, 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 September 23, 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 $15,080 a year in Montana and $8,632 in South Dakota (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in South Dakota cities: Sioux Falls.
After you arrive in South Dakota
- South Dakota new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Montana and South Dakota.
- How South Dakota taxes retirement income.
- Live in South Dakota but keep working in Montana? See who taxes your wages.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in South Dakota to live like I do in Montana?
A $75,000 salary in Montana works out to about $65,700 in South Dakota once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $87,200.
Will I pay less tax in South Dakota than in Montana?
Yes, about $2,877 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $75,000 salary (21.7% of pay in Montana vs 17.9% in South Dakota). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Montana to South Dakota?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 740 miles, expect roughly $600–$2,230 with a rental truck, $1,410–$3,230 with a moving container, or $2,300–$8,330 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Montana to South Dakota?
Moves from Montana to South Dakota reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 37% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Montana to South Dakota?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 294 households (514 people) moved from Montana to South Dakota, making South Dakota the #16 destination for people leaving Montana. 254 households moved the other way.
Is South Dakota cheaper than Montana?
Overall prices in South Dakota are 6.3% lower than Montana (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $999 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 Arizona 1,144 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