City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 5.0% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $105,000 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 $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $651 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Boise City, ID.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Columbia, SC changes real buying power by +5.0%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,194 in Columbia | $105,049 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$651/yr.
85 Strong offer
Columbia, SC → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$651/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Columbia, SC | Real change, Boise City → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $60,050 | $63,082 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $123,380 | $129,609 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $69,210 | $72,704 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $81,920 | $86,056 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.