Average Utility Costs in Montana

Typical monthly utility costs in Montana are about $239.83/mo, based on 1,000 kWh of electricity and 5,000 gallons of water (plus sewer and trash where available). Compare Montana cities below to find cheaper vs more expensive areas.

Electric: Billings, Great Falls, and Bozeman use NorthWestern Energy; Missoula uses Missoula Electric Cooperative. Montana PSC publishes gas and electric rate summaries. Rates vary by month.

Average Monthly Utility Costs in Montana

The average utility bill in Montana is estimated at $239.83 per month, a typical total assembled from median city estimates for electricity, water, sewer, and trash. To reflect a more typical bill across cities (and reduce the impact of outliers), these "average" values use the median of city estimates.

Electric (1,000 kWh)
$147.36
Median of city estimates; each city uses its serving provider's rate.
Water (5,000 gal)
$34.20
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Sewer
$35.99
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Trash
$22.28
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Typical total (assembled from medians)
$239.83
Alternate view: Median of city totals: $222.73

Assumptions: 1,000 kWh/month and 5,000 gallons/month (where applicable). "Average" values represent the median city estimate; water/sewer/trash medians exclude $0 entries when service or published rates vary by address. Actual bills vary by usage, fees, and provider.

Search by city or county

Utility providers in Montana

In the cities we cover, electric is provided by Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) (Missoula); NorthWestern Energy (Billings, Great Falls, Bozeman, Rapid City Sd) NWE and MEC rates from Montana PSC and co-op tariffs. Water, sewer, and trash are set by city, county, or regional providers. Our estimates use each utility's published rate at 1,000 kWh. City pages show sources and last-verified dates.

See which electric, water, sewer, and trash providers serve different areas of Montana, along with typical residential rate information and sources.

View utility providers in Montana

These rankings are estimates for comparison at 1,000 kWh. For the full breakdown (electric, water, sewer, trash) by city, use the comparison table below.

Cheapest electric rates in Montana

Top 5 cities with the lowest estimated electric bill at 1,000 kWh. See the comparison table below for all cities.

Most expensive total utility monthly cost in Montana

Top 5 cities with the highest estimated total (electric + water + sewer + trash). See the comparison table for all cities.

Compare all cities

Estimated monthly costs by city, sorted by total (highest first). Same assumed usage (1,000 kWh, 5,000 gal) for comparison; some cities may show $0 when no single published municipal rate is available or service varies by address. 5 cities.

CityCountyElectricWaterSewerTrashTotalView
BozemanGallatin County$147.36$41.49$46.45$27.24$262.54View Bozeman details →
BillingsYellowstone County$147.36$33.10$36.60$14.50$231.56View Billings details →
Great FallsCascade County$147.36$25.85$32.19$17.33$222.73View Great Falls details →
HelenaLewis and Clark County$147.36$34.20$35.99$0.00$217.54View Helena details →
MissoulaMissoula County$101.91$38.19$23.48$30.00$193.58View Missoula details →

Montana counties

View estimated utility costs by county. Each county page lists cities and a comparison table of monthly estimates.

Compare with nearby states

Compare utility costs in Montana with neighboring states.

FAQ – Utilities in Montana

Billings, Great Falls, and Bozeman use NorthWestern Energy for electric and city water, wastewater, and solid waste. Missoula uses Missoula Electric Cooperative for electric and city water and wastewater; trash is private (Republic Services, Grizzly Disposal). Each city page shows sources and last-verified dates.
Costs vary by electric provider (NorthWestern Energy vs. co-ops like Missoula Electric), municipal vs. private water and sewer, and trash programs (city collection in Billings and Great Falls vs. private haulers in Missoula). Great Falls typically has the lowest combined water and sewer rates among major Montana cities.
We estimate four components: electric (1,000 kWh monthly), water (base + volumetric), sewer (meter + volume or flat), and trash (city fee or private estimate). Each city page shows assumptions and sources.
Some cities show $0 when a single published rate isn't available, service varies by address/provider, or the rate schedule hasn't been added yet. In the state 'median' cards, water/sewer/trash medians exclude $0 entries.
Each city page links to official sources and shows last-verified dates. The Providers page lists utilities and the cities they serve. Use the city search or county links to drill down.