City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 5.3% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $105,300 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $613 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Boise City, ID to Chicago, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,289 in Chicago | $94,977 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$613/yr.
52 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$613/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Chicago, IL | Real change, Boise City → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $78,390 | $74,452 (+21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $134,380 | $127,630 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $82,360 | $78,223 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $100,490 | $95,442 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.