City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 7.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $107,100 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $521 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Boise City, ID to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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 | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,414 in Omaha | $107,050 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$521/yr.
91 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$521/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Omaha, NE | Real change, Boise City → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $62,670 | $67,088 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $125,220 | $134,048 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $77,030 | $82,461 (+7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $84,600 | $90,565 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.