This species is found in limestone caves and small crevices throughout secondary forest in southern Myanmar where colony size reaches 50 individuals. In southern Thailand a maximum of 100 individuals are found in manmade caves while smaller colonies are found under hanging rock in tropical lowland forest (S. Bumrungsri pers. comm.). In Peninsular Malaysia E. monticola occurs in lowland rainforest, roosts under fallen trees, buttresses and tables (C. Francis pers. comm.).

This species occurs in Myanmar and Thailand to western Malaysia, Borneo (all of the island) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Riau Archipelago, Bangka, Belitung, Enggano, Babi Islands, Batu Islands, Nias Island, Mentawai Islands, Java, Sulawesi) (Simmons 2005). The distribution in Sulawesi is uncertain. There is a new record from southern Thailand, near Phanom, suggesting that the Myanmar population is linked to that of southern Thailand and Malaysia (S. Bumrungsri and P. Bates pers. comm.). This species may also have been recorded from Buton (T. Kingston pers. comm.). It is found at an altitude of about 50 m in southern Myanmar and 330 m asl in Sumatra (A. Suyanto pers. comm.).

This species occurs in protected areas throughout its range.