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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Idaho

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Idaho from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 6 metro areas.

95.5
Statewide RPP
#29
of 51 states by cost
90.0
Rents RPP
6
Metro areas

The verdict

Idaho costs less than 57% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 95.5, 4.5% below the national average.

95.5
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#29
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 43%
nationally, among all states
90.0
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $104,719 when earned in Idaho.

Reading the Idaho Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Idaho's statewide Regional Price Parity at 95.5 for the 2024 data year, 4.5% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while services offer the biggest relief at 70.4. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Idaho captures 6 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Boise City, ID leads on cost at 98.4, while Pocatello, ID sits at the opposite end at 88.9 — a gap of 9.5 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 96.3, for services 70.4, and for rents 90.0 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Idaho's statewide index has held steady within 0.5 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $104,719 of national buying power when earned inside Idaho, and a household relocating here would need roughly $95,494 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

95.5
Overall
96.3
Goods
70.4
Services
90.0
Rents

Idaho vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

96 Top 57% higher than 43% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). This entry sits in this band. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Idaho → Cheapest in Idaho →

Metro areas in Idaho, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Boise City 98.4 96.2 70.7 105.6
2 Coeur d'Alene 98.3 96.2 70.8 105.6
3 Idaho Falls 94.4 96.2 69.7 84.0
4 Twin Falls 92.1 96.2 70.0 73.8
5 Lewiston 91.2 96.2 72.6 71.9
6 Pocatello 88.9 96.2 69.8 66.4

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 95.0
2009 94.8
2010 93.2
2011 94.1
2012 93.5
2013 93.7
2014 93.7
2015 94.3
2016 93.0
2017 94.5
2018 91.7
2019 92.4
2020 91.0
2021 91.6
2022 91.8
2023 92.2
2024 95.5

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
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Idaho? ▼
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 95.5, meaning it is 4.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 70.4, and rents at 90.0.
What salary in Idaho equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $95,494 in Idaho. Conversely, $100K earned in Idaho has the purchasing power of $104,719 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Idaho? ▼
Rents in Idaho are indexed at 90.0, which is 10.0% below the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Which is the most expensive metro in Idaho? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Idaho is Boise City, ID with an RPP of 98.4. The most affordable is Pocatello, ID at 88.9. There are 6 metro areas in Idaho with BEA price data.
Is Idaho getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Idaho's overall cost index changed by +0.5 points (from 95.0 to 95.5). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.