City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 2.8% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $102,800 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $668 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Boise City, ID.
- 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +2.8%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,308 in Syracuse | $102,767 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$668/yr.
77 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$668/yr.
60 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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Boise City → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $78,560 | $80,734 (+31.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $129,100 | $132,672 (+0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $82,230 | $84,505 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $86,960 | $89,366 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.