City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 12.8% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $112,800 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,878 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Boise City, ID to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,776 in Urban Honolulu | $88,672 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,878/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,878/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Boise City → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $73,080 | $64,801 (+5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $120,230 | $106,610 (−19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $74,990 | $66,495 (−13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $139,260 | $123,484 (+26.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.