Cost of living by state
Weighing a move? Compare any two states side by side — cost of living, taxes, and demographics — and see what a physician, NP, or PA salary is really worth once it's adjusted for local prices. Green means cheaper or better; red means pricier or worse.
Overall cost of living
California is 17.0% more expensive overall than Montana.
What a physician's take-home is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Montana
- Median pay
- $385,010
- After tax
- $246,216
$260,271worth here
California
- Median pay
- $249,620
- After tax
- $163,253
$147,473worth here
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Montana | California |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 94.6 | 110.7 |
| Housing (rent) | 84.6 | 154.3 |
| Utilities | 72.3 | 158.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 106.1 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 102.6 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 5.90% | 13.30% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 0% | 8.80% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.60% | 0.70% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 1,105,072 | 39,242,785 |
| Median household income | $69,922 | $96,334 |
| Median age | 40.2 | 37.6 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.40% | 55.80% |
| Median home value | $338,100 | $695,400 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024) · U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts · Tax Foundation. Figures are the latest published; cost-of-living is a price-level index, not tax-adjusted take-home pay.
Browse all state profiles
VitalPost shows sourced, public data for context only — it isn't financial or tax advice. Cost-of-living is a price-level index (US average = 100); taxes shown are statewide/averaged and don't capture local income or the specifics of your situation.