City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 3.2% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $103,200 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,224 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Boise City, ID to Cincinnati, OH ($106,437 → $110,865), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,930 in Cincinnati | $103,168 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,224/yr.
79 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,224/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Boise City → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,290 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,785 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,231 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,865 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,009 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $64,740 | $66,791 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $121,420 | $125,266 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $80,640 | $83,194 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $83,650 | $86,300 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.