Route comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Boise, ID: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Salt Lake City, UT and Boise, ID. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Salt Lake City, UT
UT
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 95.7
- Housing RPP
- 116.5
- Goods RPP
- 94.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,606/mo
Utah flat income tax 4.65%.
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 Salt Lake City, UT by about 1.6% (RPP 95.7 to 94.2).
$60,000 in Salt Lake City, UT
-> $59,060
in Boise, ID
$100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT
-> $98,433
in Boise, ID
$150,000 in Salt Lake City, UT
-> $147,649
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: Salt Lake City, UT vs Boise, ID
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Salt Lake City, UT
- Net people
- −10,413
- Net rank
- #50 of 65
- Top origin share
- 16%
- Top destination share
- 20%
Largest source: Utah County, UT. Largest destination: Utah County, UT.
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 $218/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Salt Lake City, UT. Housing RPP moves from 116.5 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 Salt Lake City, UT?
- Boise, ID (RPP 94.2) is cheaper than Salt Lake City, UT (RPP 95.7) by about 1.6%.
- What salary do I need in Boise, ID if I earn $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT?
- You would need approximately $98,433 in Boise, ID to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT. Formula: $100,000 x (94.2 / 95.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Salt Lake City, UT or Boise, ID?
- For 2021-2022, Salt Lake City, UT had a net loss of 10,413 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.