Columbia Falls, MT vs Fort Bragg, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Fort Bragg, CA has a modeled overall cost index 40.3% higher than Columbia Falls, MT.

Columbia Falls, MT · modeled 2BR rent: $1,600 / month
Fort Bragg, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,700 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Columbia Falls, MT and Fort Bragg, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Columbia Falls, MT

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $2,426/month in Fort Bragg, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $179,117 in Fort Bragg, CA

Regional cost estimates: Columbia Falls, MT uses Spokane, WA. Fort Bragg, CA uses San Francisco, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 40.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,426

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$29.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Columbia Falls, MT

Population:6K

Cost Index:

79.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$582K

Fort Bragg, CA

Population:7K

Cost Index:

111.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$553K

Planning the move to Fort Bragg?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Columbia Falls, MT

The Treasure State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Montana, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Fort Bragg, CA

The Golden State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 7K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Columbia Falls, MT vs Fort Bragg, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Columbia Falls, MT	Fort Bragg, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,920/mo	$5,487/mo	↑ $3,568more	185.8%
Transportation	$1,751/mo	$1,347/mo	↓ $404less	23.1%
Other	$1,420/mo	$1,170/mo	↓ $251less	17.6%
Healthcare	$832/mo	$587/mo	↓ $246less	29.5%
Groceries	$1,090/mo	$963/mo	↓ $127less	11.7%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$372/mo	↓ $113less	23.4%

Housing

↑ 185.8%

Columbia Falls, MT

$1,920

Fort Bragg, CA

$5,487

Difference

$3,568

Transportation

↓ 23.1%

Columbia Falls, MT

$1,751

Fort Bragg, CA

$1,347

Difference

$404

less

Other

↓ 17.6%

Columbia Falls, MT

$1,420

Fort Bragg, CA

$1,170

Difference

$251

less

Healthcare

↓ 29.5%

Columbia Falls, MT

$832

Fort Bragg, CA

$587

Difference

$246

less

Groceries

↓ 11.7%

Columbia Falls, MT

$1,090

Fort Bragg, CA

$963

Difference

$127

less

All Utilities

↓ 23.4%

Columbia Falls, MT

$486

Fort Bragg, CA

$372

Difference

$113

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,200

To$1,260

↑ $60.00

1 Bed

From$1,220

To$1,300

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$1,600

To$1,700

↑ $100

3 Bed

From$2,100

To$2,360

↑ $260

Columbia Falls, MTZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,220–$1,220/mo

Fort Bragg, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,300–$1,300/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Columbia Falls, MT

$9,926

Monthly in Fort Bragg, CA

$2,426

Difference

Home Values

Columbia Falls

Fort Bragg

$582K

Median Value

$553K

↓ -1%

YoY Change

↓ -0.9%

↑ +58.4%

5-Year Change

↓ -3.6%

Homes in Fort Bragg are 5% less expensive than Columbia Falls

Calculate payment - Columbia Falls Calculate payment - Fort Bragg

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$88.34

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Columbia Falls, MT

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Montana State Tax

Effective: 6.4%

$9.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.1%

$46.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,618/month

$103.4K

Fort Bragg, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Columbia Falls, MT Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.8%

Fort Bragg, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Columbia Falls

Fort Bragg

38 Good

Air Quality

33 Good

76.5%

Good Air Days

76%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

100 Very High

💨

Top Hazards

🌊🫨

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

1 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

1 days

Before moving from Columbia Falls, MT to Fort Bragg, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Fort Bragg, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Columbia Falls, MT. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Columbia Falls to Fort Bragg moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Fort Bragg, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Columbia Falls, MT vs Fort Bragg, CA

How do the cost estimates for Columbia Falls, MT and Fort Bragg, CA compare?

Fort Bragg, CA has a modeled overall cost index 40.3% higher than Columbia Falls, MT. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Columbia Falls, MT, the model estimates $179,117 in Fort Bragg, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Columbia Falls, MT and Fort Bragg, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,600/month in Columbia Falls, MT and $1,700/month in Fort Bragg, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Montana and California on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

Cities cheaper than Columbia Falls, MT on a $150.0K salary

Similar cost to Fort Bragg, CA

Other cities in a similar price range

Austin, TX Nashville, TN Tampa, FL

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison