City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 16.0% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $116,000 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL 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 Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Boise City, ID to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.2% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,022 in Miami | $86,191 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Miami, FL | Real change, Boise City → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $58,300 | $50,249 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $132,650 | $114,332 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $80,920 | $69,746 (−9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $91,380 | $78,761 (−19.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.