City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 4.2% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $104,200 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,122 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Boise City, ID to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,231 in Philadelphia | $95,941 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,122/yr.
56 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,122/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Boise City → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $78,570 | $75,381 (+23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $133,040 | $127,639 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $85,990 | $82,499 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $101,180 | $97,073 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.