City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Boise City, ID
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 7.1% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $107,100 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Boise City, ID ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Boise City, ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 98.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,332 in Boise City | $107,144 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,381/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,988 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,192 (ID) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,100 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Boise City, ID.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Boise City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 105.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 70.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 98.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
91 Strong offer
Boise City, ID → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Boise City, ID is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Boise City, ID at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Boise City, ID | Real change, Anchorage → Boise City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Boise City, ID | Boise City pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,230 | $65,604 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $131,590 | $140,991 (+35.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $76,700 | $82,179 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $97,880 | $104,872 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.