Seattle vs Boise
Seattle, WA · Boise, ID
Boise is 31% cheaper than Seattle overall.
Home Price
Seattle: $780,000
Boise: $435,000
Monthly Rent
Seattle: $1,800/mo
Boise: $1,298/mo
COL Index
Seattle: 156
Boise: 107
Median Income
Seattle: $102,900
Boise: $70,400
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 Seattle has the same purchasing power as $68,590 in Boise — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Boise cost 44% more (-$345,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Boise saves you $502/month — $6,024 per year. Median rent: $1,800/mo in Seattle vs $1,298/mo in Boise.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Seattle owners pay roughly $7,176/year in property taxes vs $2,741/year in Boise. That's a $4,436 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $102,900 in Seattle and $70,400 in Boise. Boise residents earn 32% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 30 minutes in Seattle vs 22 minutes in Boise. Over a year, that's 4000 extra minutes (67 hours) of commuting in Seattle.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Seattle to Boise, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Seattle | Equivalent in Boise | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $34,295 | -$15,705 |
| $75,000 | $51,442 | -$23,558 |
| $100,000 | $68,590 | -$31,410 |
| $150,000 | $102,885 | -$47,115 |
| $200,000 | $137,179 | -$62,821 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Seattle Calculators
Boise Calculators
Related Comparisons
Seattle vs Boise: Common Questions
Is Seattle or Boise cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Boise is cheaper overall. Seattle has a COL index of 156 while Boise scores 107 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Seattle and Boise?
The median home price in Seattle is $780,000 vs $435,000 in Boise — a difference of $345,000 (44%).
What salary do I need in Boise to match my Seattle income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Seattle is equivalent to $68,590 in Boise 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 $7,176/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.