City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 7.5% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $107,500 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, 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 Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Boise City, ID to Denver, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,512 in Denver | $93,013 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,754/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$500/yr.
43 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$500/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Denver, CO | Real change, Boise City → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $76,910 | $71,536 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $137,610 | $127,995 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $100,020 | $93,032 (+21.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $101,130 | $94,064 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.