City comparison
Boise City, ID vs El Paso, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 9.4% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $109,400 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 $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in El Paso, TX.
- 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 El Paso, TX changes real buying power by +9.4%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | El Paso, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 89.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,382 in El Paso | $109,430 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $39,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and El Paso, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 71.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 82.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 89.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
98 Strong offer
El Paso, TX → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
42 Weak 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 El Paso, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | El Paso, TX | Real change, Boise City → El Paso |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | El Paso, TX | El Paso pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $63,800 | $69,817 (+14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $127,310 | $139,316 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $65,990 | $72,213 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $86,100 | $94,220 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.