Moving from Portland to Boise
A typical worker keeps about the same in Portland and Boise: within $469 a year, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical Portland salary of $60,690, you'd need about $49,700 in Boise.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps about the same in Portland and Boise: within $469 a year.
- Typical salary
- $60,690
- Federal income tax
- −$5,103
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,068
- State income tax
- −$4,034
- Local income tax
- −$50
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$20,124
- Everyday costs
- −$18,734
a year, or $631 a month
- Typical salary
- $49,100
- Federal income tax
- −$3,712
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,756
- State income tax
- −$1,494
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,440
- Everyday costs
- −$16,590
a year, or $592 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| Portland | Boise | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)6.7% cheaper | 105.4 | 98.4 |
| Rent, studio$360 less | $1,568 | $1,208 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$307 less | $1,677 | $1,370 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$294 less | $1,926 | $1,632 |
| Food$44 less | $519 | $475 |
| Transportation$36 less | $411 | $375 |
| Healthcare$5 less | $353 | $348 |
| Utilities$95 less | $279 | $184 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$485 less | $3,238 | $2,753 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Boise City, ID area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | Portland | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$469 less | $60,690 | $49,100 |
| Registered nurse$9,668 less | $130,310 | $97,880 |
| Teacher$6,579 less | $84,450 | $61,439 |
| Electrician$18,764 less | $105,090 | $61,610 |
| Accountant$866 less | $92,200 | $76,700 |
| Software engineer$1,510 less | $156,000 | $131,590 |
| Truck driver$5,721 more | $63,800 | $60,330 |
| Nursing assistant$444 less | $50,350 | $39,220 |
| Medical assistant$639 more | $56,240 | $46,310 |
| Carpenter$7,866 less | $73,710 | $50,850 |
| Project manager$3,794 more | $108,340 | $98,580 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $60,690 (a typical Portland wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| Portland | Boise | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $5,103 | $5,103 |
| Payroll taxes$425 less | $5,068 | $4,643 |
| State income tax$1,926 less | $4,034 | $2,108 |
| Local income tax$50 less | $50 | $0 |
| Total$2,401 less | $14,255 | $11,854 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| Portland | Boise | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$10,376 less | $91,478 | $81,102 |
| Median home value$89,700 less | $588,200 | $498,500 |
| Unemployment rate1.0 pts lower | 5% | 4% |
| Working from home9.9 pts lower | 24.6% | 14.6% |
Moving to Boise
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Boise than Portland?
Yes: prices in the Boise area are 2% below the US average, against 5% above the US average in the Portland area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,370 a month in Boise and $1,677 in Portland.
How much more is rent in Portland?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $307 a month (22.4%) higher in Portland: $1,370 in Boise against $1,677 in Portland.
How much do I need to earn in Boise to keep the same as in Portland?
A typical worker in Portland earns $60,690. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $49,700 in Boise.
Will I pay more tax in Boise?
Idaho taxes wages, and Oregon taxes wages. On a typical Portland salary of $60,690, total income and payroll taxes come to $11,854 in Boise and $14,255 in Portland.
Do people keep more money in Boise or Portland?
A typical worker keeps about the same in Portland and Boise: within $469 a year: $7,108 in Boise against $7,577 in Portland, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate