City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Raleigh, NC
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 Raleigh, NC (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 Raleigh, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $710 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Boise City, ID to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: 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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,762 in Raleigh | $100,238 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$710/yr.
69 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$710/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Boise City → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $60,170 | $60,313 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $132,770 | $133,087 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $81,950 | $82,145 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $84,830 | $85,032 (−13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.