$40K in Billings = $34,607 in Flint

Your $40K salary in Billings (COL 89) has the same purchasing power as $34,607 in Flint (COL 77). Flint is cheaper — your money goes 13% further there.

$40K in Billings, MT
$2,502/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (48% of take-home)
Difficult
$34,607/yr in Flint, MI
$2,242/mo take-home
Rent: $880/mo (39% of take-home)
Tight

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Billings
$40K
Flint
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,502$2,592
1BR rent$1,200$880
Groceries$369$346
Transport$42$48
Utilities$148$168
Internet$68$55
Left after essentials$675/month$1,095/month
To match your Billings purchasing power in Flint, you'd need to earn $34,607/year (13% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $745/mo left after essentials — vs $675/mo in Billings.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in Billings equivalent to in Flint?

$40K in Billings (COL index 89) has the same purchasing power as $34,607 in Flint (COL index 77). That's 13% less than your current salary.

If I move from Billings to Flint keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Flint, you'd have $420 more per month after core expenses — because Flint is cheaper than Billings.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $40K × (77 ÷ 89) = $34,607. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Billings to Flint

$50K → $43,258$60K → $51,910$75K → $64,888$80K → $69,213$100K → $86,517$120K → $103,820$150K → $129,775
$40K in Flint → BillingsMoving from Billings to FlintBillings vs Flint — full comparisonCan I afford Billings vs Flint on $40K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only