City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 6.2% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $106,200 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Boise City, ID to Corpus Christi, TX ($106,437 → $106,955), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,186 in Corpus Christi | $106,172 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
88 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Boise City → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,023 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,042 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,943 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,955 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,389 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $60,210 | $63,926 (+4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $123,580 | $131,208 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $75,580 | $80,245 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $82,690 | $87,794 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.