Boise vs Spokane
Boise, ID · Spokane, WA
Spokane is 12% cheaper than Boise overall.
Home Price
Boise: $435,000
Spokane: $310,000
Monthly Rent
Boise: $1,298/mo
Spokane: $1,050/mo
COL Index
Boise: 107
Spokane: 94
Median Income
Boise: $70,400
Spokane: $59,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Boise has the same purchasing power as $87,850 in Spokane — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Spokane cost 29% more (-$125,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Spokane saves you $248/month — $2,976 per year. Median rent: $1,298/mo in Boise vs $1,050/mo in Spokane.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Boise owners pay roughly $2,741/year in property taxes vs $2,852/year in Spokane. That's a $112 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,400 in Boise and $59,200 in Spokane. Spokane residents earn 16% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 22 minutes in Boise vs 21 minutes in Spokane. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Boise to Spokane, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Boise | Equivalent in Spokane | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $43,925 | -$6,075 |
| $75,000 | $65,888 | -$9,112 |
| $100,000 | $87,850 | -$12,150 |
| $150,000 | $131,776 | -$18,224 |
| $200,000 | $175,701 | -$24,299 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Boise Calculators
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Boise vs Spokane: Common Questions
Is Boise or Spokane cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Spokane is cheaper overall. Boise has a COL index of 107 while Spokane scores 94 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Boise and Spokane?
The median home price in Boise is $435,000 vs $310,000 in Spokane — a difference of $125,000 (29%).
What salary do I need in Spokane to match my Boise income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Boise is equivalent to $87,850 in Spokane in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Boise has a lower property tax rate (0.63% vs 0.92%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,741/year vs $2,852/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.