City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boise City, ID (98.4) and Provo, UT (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boise City, ID goes as far as $99,800 in Provo, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $658 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Provo, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Provo, UT changes real buying power by +0.2%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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 | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,838 in Provo | $100,162 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$658/yr.
69 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$658/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Provo, UT | Real change, Boise City → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $62,930 | $63,032 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $131,210 | $131,422 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $75,700 | $75,823 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $81,780 | $81,912 (−16.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.