City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 4.8% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $104,800 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,224 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Boise City, ID to Cleveland, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,459 in Cleveland | $104,757 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,058/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 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,224/yr.
84 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,224/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Boise City → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $76,470 | $80,108 (+30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $111,310 | $116,605 (−11.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $80,000 | $83,806 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $83,940 | $87,933 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.