City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 6.9% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $106,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $500 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Boise City, ID to Boulder, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,922 in Boulder | $93,526 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$500/yr.
43 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$500/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Boulder, CO | Real change, Boise City → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $80,640 | $75,419 (+23.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $164,560 | $153,906 (+17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $99,990 | $93,516 (+21.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $103,290 | $96,603 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.