City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 7.1% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $107,100 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,729 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Boise City, ID to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,145 in Portland | $93,331 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,729/yr.
43 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,729/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Portland, OR | Real change, Boise City → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $82,330 | $76,840 (+25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $156,000 | $145,597 (+10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $92,200 | $86,052 (+12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $130,310 | $121,620 (+24.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.