Route comparison
Portland, OR vs Boise, ID: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Portland, OR and Boise, ID. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Portland, OR
OR
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 108.8
- Housing RPP
- 128.5
- Goods RPP
- 109.1
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,024/mo
Oregon income tax 4.75%-9.9%. No state sales tax.
Boise, ID
ID
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 94.2
- Housing RPP
- 102.5
- Goods RPP
- 95.6
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,388/mo
Idaho income tax 5.8% flat (since 2023).
Equivalent salary
Boise, ID is cheaper than Portland, OR by about 13.4% (RPP 108.8 to 94.2).
$60,000 in Portland, OR
-> $51,949
in Boise, ID
$100,000 in Portland, OR
-> $86,581
in Boise, ID
$150,000 in Portland, OR
-> $129,871
in Boise, ID
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Portland, OR vs Boise, ID
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Portland, OR
- Net people
- −9,476
- Net rank
- #48 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Marion County, OR. Largest destination: Marion County, OR.
Boise, ID
- Net people
- +9,007
- Net rank
- #15 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Payette County, ID.
Rent delta: Boise, ID is $636/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Portland, OR. Housing RPP moves from 128.5 to 102.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boise, ID cheaper or more expensive than Portland, OR?
- Boise, ID (RPP 94.2) is cheaper than Portland, OR (RPP 108.8) by about 13.4%.
- What salary do I need in Boise, ID if I earn $100,000 in Portland, OR?
- You would need approximately $86,581 in Boise, ID to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Portland, OR. Formula: $100,000 x (94.2 / 108.8).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Portland, OR or Boise, ID?
- For 2021-2022, Portland, OR had a net loss of 9,476 people, while Boise, ID had a net gain of 9,007 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.