City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 9.7% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $109,700 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +9.7%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (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 | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,149 in Montgomery | $109,711 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
99 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
41 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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Boise City → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $59,610 | $65,399 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $110,620 | $121,362 (−7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $75,040 | $82,327 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $79,570 | $87,297 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.