Making the decision to move to Montana may have been easy, but the move itself is a little tougher. While you’re searching for your next home, neighborhood and job, you’ll also have to learn new state guidelines and culture. Certain things about the Treasure State might take some getting used to.

Here are a few things many people don’t expect when moving to Montana:

1. Depending on the area you call home, you could be almost as likely to see a celebrity here as you would in LA.
Angel Schatz / Flickr
While Montana isn’t crawling with Hollywood A-listers (and thank goodness for that), there are quite a few famous people who own vacation homes there or who are there for filming.
2. It really is that enormous.
Frederico Duarte / Flickr
Get used to spending a lot of time in your car, especially when you want to go exploring. Montana is massive.
3. The “big cities” are.... well, not.
Juan-Calderon / Flickr
Montana is basically a small town with a lot of roads, and we like it that way. There are plenty of beautiful cities with great culture, like Bozeman and Missoula. They’re just smaller population-wise than most urban areas.
4. There are a lot of breweries.
Travis / Flickr
Welcome to your new home.

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5. It’s colder than you think.
Barbara Ann Spengler / Flickr
Of course you’ll experience some hot, sunny days when you move to Montana. But they’re few and far between. The summers feel short, so embrace the warm weather while you can.
6. You won’t actually mind the cold much, though.
Jeff Webster / Flickr
People who move to Montana tend to learn to embrace the experience of all four seasons. They won’t mind a little winter weather.
7. Strangers will wave at you when you’re driving or walking down the street.
Tom Szymanski / Flickr
This is friendliness. Do not be alarmed.
8. The price tag you see is the price you’ll pay at the register.
Nick W / Flickr
Not paying sales tax makes tallying to cost of your groceries pretty simple. There are some resort taxes in the touristy areas, but that won’t matter for everyday purchases.
9. Montana life is not for the faint of heart. You'll most likely love it, but not right away.
JD Hascup / Flickr
It’s a beautiful state, and it’s called The Last Best Place for a reason. Still, Montana life is only for the tough. The winters are brutal, the job market isn’t great in all areas and sometimes people can feel isolated from the lessened human interaction. Still, once you’ve adjusted and gotten settled, you’ll probably find that it’s absolutely worth it.

Considering calling Montana home for awhile? Get familiar with the food.

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