Fort Bragg, CA vs Livingston, MT: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Livingston, MT has a modeled overall cost index 26.5% lower than Fort Bragg, CA.

Fort Bragg, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,700 / month
Livingston, MT · modeled 2BR rent: $1,650 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Fort Bragg, CA and Livingston, MT 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 Fort Bragg, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $2,222/month in Livingston, MT

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $123,334 in Livingston, MT

Regional cost estimates: Fort Bragg, CA uses San Francisco, CA. Livingston, MT uses Boise, ID. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 26.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,222

Savings

Annual Impact

$26.7K

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.

Fort Bragg, CA

Population:7K

Cost Index:

111.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$553K

Livingston, MT

Population:9K

Cost Index:

81.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$526K

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Fort Bragg, CA

The Golden State

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Livingston, MT

The Treasure State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Montana, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fort Bragg, CA vs Livingston, MT

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	Fort Bragg, CA	Livingston, MT	Difference	Change
Housing	$4,146/mo	$1,733/mo	↓ $2,413less	58.2%
Other	$884/mo	$1,143/mo	↑ $259more	29.3%
Transportation	$1,018/mo	$854/mo	↓ $164less	16.1%
All Utilities	$281/mo	$357/mo	↑ $75.59more	26.9%
Healthcare	$443/mo	$473/mo	↑ $29.44more	6.6%
Groceries	$728/mo	$719/mo	↓ $9.06less	1.2%

Housing

↓ 58.2%

Fort Bragg, CA

$4,146

Livingston, MT

$1,733

Difference

$2,413

less

Other

↑ 29.3%

Fort Bragg, CA

$884

Livingston, MT

$1,143

Difference

$259

Transportation

↓ 16.1%

Fort Bragg, CA

$1,018

Livingston, MT

$854

Difference

$164

less

All Utilities

↑ 26.9%

Fort Bragg, CA

$281

Livingston, MT

$357

Difference

$75.59

Healthcare

↑ 6.6%

Fort Bragg, CA

$443

Livingston, MT

$473

Difference

$29.44

Groceries

↓ 1.2%

Fort Bragg, CA

$728

Livingston, MT

$719

Difference

$9.06

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,260

To$1,140

↓ $120

1 Bed

From$1,300

To$1,420

↑ $120

2 Bed

From$1,700

To$1,650

↓ $50.00

3 Bed

From$2,360

To$2,290

↓ $70.00

Fort Bragg, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,300–$1,300/mo

Livingston, MTZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,420–$1,420/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 Fort Bragg, CA

$5,278

Monthly in Livingston, MT

$2,222

Difference

Home Values

Fort Bragg

Livingston

$553K

Median Value

$526K

↓ -0.9%

YoY Change

↓ -0.4%

↓ -3.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +39.7%

Homes in Livingston are 5% less expensive than Fort Bragg

Calculate payment - Fort Bragg Calculate payment - Livingston

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$88.34

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

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

Livingston, 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

Additional Tax Information

Fort Bragg, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Livingston, MT Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

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

Fort Bragg

Livingston

33 Good

Air Quality

44 Good

76%

Good Air Days

62.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

88 Moderate

🌊🫨

Top Hazards

🔥💨

▲+2.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

49 days

▲+2.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

49 days

Before moving from Fort Bragg, CA to Livingston, MT

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Livingston, MT for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fort Bragg, CA. 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 Fort Bragg to Livingston moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Livingston, MT by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Fort Bragg, CA vs Livingston, MT

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

Livingston, MT has a modeled overall cost index 26.5% lower than Fort Bragg, CA. 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 Fort Bragg, CA, the model estimates $123,334 in Livingston, MT. 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 Fort Bragg, CA and Livingston, MT?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,700/month in Fort Bragg, CA and $1,650/month in Livingston, MT. 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 California and Montana on TaxTakeHome.com