City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 3.9% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $103,900 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,122 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Boise City, ID to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,219 in Pittsburgh | $103,929 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,122/yr.
81 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,122/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Boise City → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $76,550 | $79,558 (+29.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $124,500 | $129,392 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $76,940 | $79,963 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $82,370 | $85,607 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.