Local cost of living in Montana falls to lowest level in three years

At two percent above the national average, the Bozeman cost of living is lower than it has been for three years, Prospera Business Network http://www.prosperabusinessnetwork.org reported Monday.

The Bozeman-area cost of living dropped to 1.8 percent above national averages during the first quarter of 2007. Since then, the cost of living has wavered between 3 and 9 percent above national averages.

The dip in the second quarter — April through June — is traced to lower housing costs, Prospera noted in a statement. While they are about 2 percent higher than national averages; they have rarely dipped below 8 percent above U.S. averages in the last three years — sometimes swelling to 20 percent higher than national averages.

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