True Cost of Renting in Billings

Billings is Montana's largest city and regional commercial hub for eastern Montana and northern Wyoming. The city's economy is built on energy (Exxon and Phillips 66 refineries), healthcare (Billings Clinic, St Vincent Healthcare), and agriculture services. Rents are low by national standards but have risen 25–30% since 2020 with remote worker and oil sector demand.

Neighborhoods & Average Rents

Downtown Billings / South Side

Studio:
$800/mo
1 Bed:
$1,050/mo
2 Bed:
$1,500/mo

Historic downtown along Montana Avenue; independent restaurants, the Billings Symphony, and walkable amenities. Mix of older apartment buildings and newer infill. NorthWestern Energy electric and natural gas. Winter heating at 3,100 ft elevation runs $130–170/mo.

West End / Rimrock

1 Bed:
$1,100/mo
2 Bed:
$1,600/mo

Newer suburban development under the Rimrock cliffs west of Downtown; newer apartment complexes with modern amenities near Rimrock Mall. Car-dependent. Popular with healthcare workers at Billings Clinic and St Vincent Healthcare.

Utility Providers

Electric
NorthWestern Energy
Water
City of Billings Water
Internet
Spectrum, Midcontinent Communications, T-Mobile Home Internet

Commute & Transportation

I-90 and I-94 intersect at Billings, making it the regional highway hub for eastern Montana. The refinery complex and agricultural equipment businesses are the primary industrial employers. Billings Clinic and St Vincent are major healthcare anchors. Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) connects to major hubs. There is no public transit — a car is essential.

Rental Market Overview

Billings remains one of the Mountain West's most affordable larger cities. NorthWestern Energy rates are moderate but Montana winters are serious — budget $130–170/month for heating from October through March. Refinery employment cycles have historically created boom-bust rental patterns, but healthcare and services employment has diversified the economy. New apartment supply has been limited, keeping vacancy rates low. Renters insurance averages $12–15/month. Montana has no state-level rent control, so annual increases follow the open market. Billings functions as the commercial hub for a genuinely enormous surrounding rural region, which means a meaningful share of its economy depends on agricultural and energy commodity prices well outside the city rather than on local employment trends alone, a dynamic that smaller, more single-industry Montana cities do not share to the same degree. The refinery and rail infrastructure along the Yellowstone River corridor also mean parts of the city carry industrial zoning immediately adjacent to residential blocks, worth checking on a map before touring a specific address.

Data last updated: 2026-04

Compare Apartments in Billings

Enter your rental options below to see the true all-in monthly cost.

Renting in Billings: Common Questions

What is the average rent in Billings?
One-bedroom apartments in Billings range from $1,050/month in Downtown Billings / South Side to $1,100/month in West End / Rimrock. Two-bedroom units range from $1,500 to $1,600/month. These are base rents — add fees, utilities, and amenity costs to get the true all-in monthly cost.
What utilities do I need to set up in Billings?
In Billings, electricity is provided by NorthWestern Energy, water by City of Billings Water, and common internet providers include Spectrum, Midcontinent Communications, T-Mobile Home Internet. Ask the leasing office for the specific unit's average monthly bill rather than a city-wide figure — utility costs vary more by building age and insulation than by location within Billings.
What neighborhoods are affordable in Billings?
Downtown Billings / South Side is the most affordable of the 2 Billings neighborhoods covered here, at $1,050/month for a one-bedroom — $50 less than West End / Rimrock, roughly a 5% gap. That swing is often bigger than any fee or amenity difference between two buildings in the same neighborhood, which is why comparing across neighborhoods matters as much as comparing within one.
Is Billings expensive to rent in?
Across the 2 neighborhoods covered here, the average one-bedroom in Billings runs about $1,075/month before fees, utilities, and amenities are added — and those add-ons are exactly what a bare average hides. Billings remains one of the Mountain West's most affordable larger cities. Run the specific units you are considering through RentCompare to see the true all-in monthly cost rather than relying on an area average.

Explore Other Montana Cities

BozemanMissoulaAnchorageAKFairbanksAKBirminghamALHuntsvilleAL