City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boise City, ID (98.4) and Pensacola, FL (97.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boise City, ID goes as far as $99,300 in Pensacola, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,257 in Pensacola, FL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 19% in Pensacola, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Pensacola, FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by +0.7%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,315 in Pensacola | $100,690 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,257/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Pensacola, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
71 Strong offer
Pensacola, FL → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
67 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 Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Boise City → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $50,360 | $50,707 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $108,430 | $109,178 (−17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $76,410 | $76,937 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $77,890 | $78,427 (−19.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.