Rhode Island to Montana Moving Guide
Updated June 4, 2025

Planning a 2,269 mile interstate move from Rhode Island to Montana? This moving guide will help you compare living in Rhode Island vs Montana across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower cost of living), food & health (like Stuffies vs Montana Beef), real estate & housing (colonial, victorian vs rustic, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Rhode Island), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Stuffies and Grilled Pizza, but get your taste buds ready for Montana Beef & Bison Burger
- Montana housing costs are 1% more expensive than they are in Rhode Island
- Rent in Montana is 32.30% more affordable than in Rhode Island
- Moving from Rhode Island to Montana will cost on average between $2,500 - $9,000
- Our top recommended Rhode Island to Montana movers is Moving On Up
Rhode Island to Montana Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Rhode Island to Montana
- High cost of living
- Dense population
- Limited outdoor recreation
- Traffic congestion
- Lower cost of living
- Open spaces
- Abundant outdoor activities
- Minimal traffic
- Less diverse culture
- Landlocked state
- Fewer historical sites
- Limited seafood options
- Cultural diversity
- Proximity to the ocean
- Historic attractions
- Access to seafood
Pros of moving from Rhode Island to Montana
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to the lower cost of living
- Look forward to moving away from the dense population and moving to Montana with open spaces
- Swap the limited outdoor recreation of Rhode Island for abundant outdoor activities in Montana
- Get ready for minimal traffic in Montana
Cons of moving from Rhode Island to Montana
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the cultural diversity in Rhode Island to live with a less diverse culture in Montana
- You'll lose out on the pro of proximity to the ocean and have to settle for the con of a landlocked state
- Time to bid farewell to historic attractions and get used to fewer historical sites in Montana
- Swap access to seafood for limited seafood options
Rhode Island vs. Montana: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Stuffies | Montana Beef |
Most popular meat dish | Grilled Pizza | Bison Burger |
Most popular street food item | Hot Wieners | Elk Jerky |
Most popular vegan food | Seaweed Salad | Wild Huckleberry Pie |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Rhode Island to Montana, you will be trading the iconic Stuffies of Rhode Island for the equally delicious Montana Beef of Montana. And while the locals in Rhode Island rave about their flavorful Grilled Pizza and sumptuous Hot Wieners, Montana residents know they have tasty Bison Burger and Elk Jerky to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Seaweed Salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Wild Huckleberry Pie of Montana. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Rhode Island eateries like Al Forno, Hemenwayβs, and The Slow Rhode. After the boxes are unpacked in Montana, don't wait too long before making your way to Montana's acclaimed eateries like The Buckhorn Bar, Louisaβs Pizza and Pasta, and Crystal Bar.
When comparing lifestyles, Montana shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Rhode Island. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Montana, compared to what you are used to in Rhode Island. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Montana.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Rhode Island and Montana
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Victorian | Rustic, Craftsman |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Waterfront, Historic | Mountain Views, Acreage |
- The Colonial and Victorian architecture that Rhode Island is known for will be replaced with the Rustic and Craftsman architecture typical of Montana.
- Compared to Rhode Island's real estate listings that commonly reference waterfront and historic features, Montana real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and acreage.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away as Montana is less walkable than Rhode Island.
- Montana is similarly bike-friendly to Rhode Island.
- Montana has less of an urban feel than Rhode Island.
- Montana housing costs are 1% more expensive than they are in Rhode Island, with a median home price of $456,199 compared to Rhode Islandβs $451,868.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Montana have increased by 71% compared to a 55% increase in Rhode Island.
- Rent in Montana is 32.30% more affordable than in Rhode Island.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Rhode Island and Montana
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Nor'easters | Wildfires, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Good | Excellent |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 83Β°F/63Β°F | 85Β°F/50Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40Β°F/20Β°F | 34Β°F/17Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 47 | 15 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 33 | 60 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Rhode Island to Montana. Montana gets 1% more sunshine days than Rhode Island.
- Montana has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Rhode Island.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and nor'easters in Rhode Island, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and earthquakes in Montana.
- The average summer high temperature in Montana is 2 degrees warmer than Rhode Island.
- The average winter lows in Montana are 3 degrees colder than they are in Rhode Island.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Montana. Montana receives 32 fewer inches of rain compared to Rhode Island.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Rhode Island and Montana
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $81,854 | $67,631 |
Cost of Living Index | 123.3 | 99.4 |
State Income Tax | 3.75% - 5.99% | 1.00% - 6.90% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.42% | 0.83% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.00% | 0.00% |
Top 3 Industries | Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education | Agriculture, Tourism, Education |
Affluence | Moderate | Modest |
Poverty | Moderate | Higher |
Homelessness | Visible | Less Visible |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Montana tend to earn about 17% less than in Rhode Island
- The COLI in Montana is 19% lower than what you are used to living in Rhode Island
- The state income tax in MT is 1.00% - 6.90% compared to 3.75% - 5.99% in RI
- The affluence in Montana is modest compared to moderate in Rhode Island
- The poverty level is higher in Montana compared to moderate in Rhode Island
- In terms of homelessness, it is visible in Rhode Island and less visible in Montana
Political and Religious Climate in Rhode Island vs. Montana
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Primarily Democrat | Lean Republican |
Local Politics | Municipally diverse, notable Democratic major cities | Diverse with a mix of Republican and Democratic strongholds |
Religion | Catholic dominated | Mixed Christian denominations, Protestant majority |
- Rhode Island tends to lean primarily Democrat in its political climate
- Montana, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Republican
- Montana's religious environment can be described as a mix of Christian denominations with a Protestant majority
- Rhode Island's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Catholic dominated
Education Guide When Moving from Rhode Island to Montana
Comparison | Rhode Island | Montana |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Rhode Island Rhode Island College Brown University | Montana State University University of Montana Montana Tech |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Rockwell Elementary - Bristol Nayatt School - Barrington Community School - Cumberland | Hawthorne Elementary - Bozeman Chief Joseph Elementary - Great Falls Cold Springs Elementary - Missoula |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Barrington Middle - Barrington Wickford Middle - North Kingstown Portsmouth Middle - Portsmouth | Sacajawea Middle - Bozeman C.R. Anderson Middle - Helena Washington Middle - Missoula |
Top 3 High Schools | Classical High - Providence Barrington High - Barrington East Greenwich High - East Greenwich | Bozeman High - Bozeman Hellgate High - Missoula Sentinel High - Missoula |
Top 3 private high schools | The Wheeler School - Providence Moses Brown School - Providence St. George's School - Middletown | Missoula International School - Missoula Bozeman Field School - Bozeman Billings Central Catholic HS - Billings |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Lincoln School - Providence Providence Country Day - East Providence Rocky Hill Country Day - East Greenwich | Petra Academy - Bozeman Valley Christian School - Missoula Stillwater Christian School - Kalispell |
Top 3 School Districts | Barrington Schools East Greenwich Public Schools North Kingstown Schools | Bozeman Public Schools Missoula County Public Schools Helena School District |
How Much Do Rhode Island to Montana Movers Cost?
Moving 2,269 miles from Rhode Island to Montana will typically cost between $3,500 and $9,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $9,000
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: G Metz Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,489 | 300 ft3 | $8.30 |
1 Bedroom | $3,711 | 450 ft3 | $8.25 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,147 | 750 ft3 | $8.20 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,961 | 1100 ft3 | $8.15 |
4 Bedrooms | $12,954 | 1600 ft3 | $8.10 |
5+ Bedrooms | $14,483 | 1800 ft3 | $8.05 |
Top Rhode Island to Montana Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Rhode Island to Montana movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Moving On Up
Best moving company overall for Rhode Island to Montana