Cost of living in Boise: rent, home prices and salary needed
The cost of living in Boise sits 1.6% under the US average: the 2024 regional price parity (RPP) from BEA is 98.4 for the metro area of Boise City, ID, where the US stands at 100, and housing alone is 105.6.
- Level of prices
- 98.4US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 105.6. Rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Boise
A regional price parity sets the cost of one basket of goods and services in one place against the US average, which is set at 100. Boise belongs to the Boise City, ID metro area, a region BEA prices as a whole. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 70.7, or 29.3% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Boise City, ID metro | Idaho | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.4 | 95.5 | −1.6% |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 | −3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 105.6 | 90.0 | +5.6% |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 70.4 | −29.3% |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 | −1.0% |
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 regional price parities for states and metro areas. BEA regional price parities
Boise rent
By the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), asking rents that are typical for Boise come to $1,900 a month for homes listed now, +8.4% over a year. In the US, it is $1,932. Census median gross rent covers every renting household, not only new leases, and comes to $1,535. Twelve months of the asking rent equals 28% of the median household income.
| Rent | Boise | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,900 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +8.4% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,535 | $1,487 |
| As a share of median income, one year of asking rent | 28% | 28% |
One-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, plus the Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Boise home prices
A typical Boise home was valued at $500,215 in September 2026, based on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), which measures what a mid-market home is worth. That is up 2.1% compared with a year earlier, while the US figure is $366,157. Home prices equal 6.2 years of median household income, while the US figure is 4.5.
| Home prices | Boise | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $500,215 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +2.1% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +127.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 6.2 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 21.9 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Boise housing market.
The salary you need to live in Boise
Two questions set the salary in Boise that matches what your current pay buys now: your location and your earnings.
- Moving from
- Salary
Side by side, every city, plus the method used: city cost of living comparison.
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Boise cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rent figure | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 98.4 | 105.6 | $1,900 | $500,215 |
| Idaho Falls | 94.4 | 84.0 | $1,396 | $394,199 |
| Coeur d'Alene | 98.3 | 105.6 | $1,865 | $606,227 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024), where US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home values come from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. Every state: cost of living in each state.