CostIndexUSA

Austin, TX vs Boise, ID Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Austin
98.1
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
ID
Boise
98.4
overall index
$1,750/mo rent

Austin and Boise have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing12.3%
Austin
120.4
Boise
105.6
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
Austin
93.8
Boise
96.2
🚗 Transportation+2.8%
Austin
101.1
Boise
103.9
🏥 Healthcare+2.8%
Austin
91.4
Boise
94
Utilities13.8%
Austin
82
Boise
70.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Austin to see what you'd need to earn in Boise to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Boise, ID
$80,200
$200 more needed in Boise

Formula: salary × (98.4 ÷ 98.1) = salary × 1.0031. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Austin, TX

Median Home Price
$420,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
120.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.6×

Boise, ID

Median Home Price
$479,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
105.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.8×

Austin has 12.3% lower housing costs compared to Boise.

Income & Job Market

Austin, TX

Median Household Income
$98,500
Per Capita Income
$56,100
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
978,908
Top Industries
TechnologyGovernmentHealthcareEducationEntertainment

Boise, ID

Median Household Income
$82,500
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.3%
Population
235,984
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareManufacturingFinanceAgriculture

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Austin, TX
5.3×income-to-rent ratio

81% of income left after rent (median)

Boise, ID
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.