What does a Chef salary really buy you in Montana?
Montana is 9.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Montana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.3, meaning prices are 9.7% lower the national average. A Chef earning $55,650 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $61,627 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Montana's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $38,020 | $42,104 | +$4,084 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $46,070 | $51,018 | +$4,948 |
| Median (P50) | $55,650 | $61,627 | +$5,977 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $70,160 | $77,696 | +$7,536 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $78,990 | $87,475 | +$8,485 |
A Chef in Montana earns $55,650 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $61,627 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Chef salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #25 out of 50 states for Chef after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Chef in Montana earns a median salary of $55,650 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $61,627 — a +10.7% difference.
Montana's cost of living is 9.7% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Montana is 90.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Chef in Montana: $55,650 x (100 / 90.3) = $61,627. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Chef in Montana enjoys 10.7% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.