City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 1.9% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $101,900 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Boise City, ID to Las Vegas, NV ($106,437 → $108,719), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,854 in Las Vegas | $98,180 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
63 Fair offer
Las Vegas, NV → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Boise City → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,046 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,280 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,427 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,719 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,473 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $65,040 | $63,856 (+4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $129,940 | $127,575 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $80,530 | $79,064 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $103,940 | $102,048 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.