
Anchorage vs Boise
$762/mo less in Boise
AnchorageBoiseAbout 1,895 miles apart, a flight.
- Boise costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $1,998/mo in Boise. $2,760/mo in Anchorage. −$9,144 a year.
Anchorage
$2,760
left each month
Boise
$1,998
−$762 vs Anchorage
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 79 households moved Anchorage → Boise (avg AGI $80,646). 27 went the other way. The whole move →
−$762 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Anchorage | Boise | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,167 | $7,027 | −$1,140 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,723 | $1,715 | −$7 |
| Take-home pay | $6,444 | $5,311 | −$1,133 |
| Rent | $1,392 | $1,383 | −$9 |
| Getting around | $636 | $524 | −$112 |
| Groceries | $457 | $388 | −$69 |
| Healthcare | $514 | $437 | −$77 |
| Utilities | $286 | $243 | −$43 |
| Everything else | $400 | $340 | −$60 |
| Left over | $2,760 | $1,998 | −$762 |
Salary to match Anchorage
$98,500
Gross pay in Boise that leaves the same amount as $98,000 in Anchorage.
Tax difference
−$3,971
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.1% in Anchorage, 24.4% in Boise.
More about Boise
Anchorage, AK in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,657 and 138 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
Boise, ID in full
Outdoor access that rivals Denver, on wages that haven't caught up to the home prices.
The other way
Start in Boise.
Boise → Anchorage →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Boise than Anchorage?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Boise leaves about $762 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,392 in Anchorage and $1,383 in Boise.
Does Boise have state income tax?
Boise is in Idaho, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Anchorage to Boise?
The paycheck is taxed in Idaho. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Anchorage and Boise changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.