Overall
98.4
-1.6 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Boise City, ID
Cost-of-living indicators for Boise City, ID, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 14260 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #103 of 387
Boise City, ID has a cost of living index of 98.4, meaning it's 1.6% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.8% less, services 29.3% less, and rents are 5.6% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $101,635 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Boise City
Boise City ranks #103 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 98.4, Boise City, ID is 1.6% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Boise City's most and least expensive categories — rents at 105.6 versus services at 70.7 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $101,635 inside Boise City, while a household needs roughly $98,391 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 105.6 — 5.6% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Boise City's overall index has risen by 3.1 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.2 and services at 70.7, meaning everyday spending in Boise City is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Boise City Cost Index at a Glance
Boise City all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Boise City category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.2
-3.8 below avg
Services
70.7
-29.3 below avg
Rents
105.6
+5.6 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 98.4 (-1.6 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.2 (-3.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 70.7 (-29.3 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 105.6 (+5.6 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +5.6% (105.6)
Below National Average
Services -29.3% (70.7)
Goods -3.8% (96.2)
Overall -1.6% (98.4)
Income Adequacy in Boise City
Boise City income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 98.4
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$98,391
in Boise City, ID purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$49,196
$75,000 nationally
$73,793
$125,000 nationally
$122,989
$150,000 nationally
$147,587
$200,000 nationally
$196,782
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 3.1 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.3 |
| 2009 | 97.7 |
| 2010 | 95.5 |
| 2011 | 97.0 |
| 2012 | 96.7 |
| 2013 | 96.4 |
| 2014 | 95.9 |
| 2015 | 94.9 |
| 2016 | 93.2 |
| 2017 | 95.9 |
| 2018 | 93.6 |
| 2019 | 95.7 |
| 2020 | 93.6 |
| 2021 | 93.8 |
| 2022 | 94.2 |
| 2023 | 94.2 |
| 2024 | 98.4 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Boise City, ID's index of 98.4.
Other ID Metros
Related Data for Boise City
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Boise City area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Boise City metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Boise City
School Districts
NCES school data for Boise City area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Boise City area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Boise City, ID? ▼
Boise City, ID has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.4, meaning it is 1.6% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.2, services at 70.7, and rents at 105.6. It ranks #103 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Boise City, ID to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $98,391 in Boise City, ID. Conversely, $100K earned in Boise City, ID has the purchasing power of $101,635 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Boise City, ID? ▼
Rents in Boise City, ID are indexed at 105.6, which is 5.6% above the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Boise City, ID getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Boise City, ID's overall cost index changed by +3.1 points (from 95.3 to 98.4). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Boise City, ID? ▼
The most expensive category in Boise City, ID is rents at 105.6, which is 5.6% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 70.7, 29.3% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Boise City, ID? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Barnstable Town, Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, Coeur d'Alene. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Boise City, ID's 98.4.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
