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Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
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Ames
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Boise skyline
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Ames vs Boise

$413/mo less in Boise

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

AmesBoiseAbout 1,141 miles apart, a flight.

  • Boise costs you more
  • Rent under 30% of pay

Same paycheck, two cities. $1,988/mo in Boise. $2,401/mo in Ames. −$4,956 a year.

Ames

$2,401

left each month

Boise

$1,988

−$413 vs Ames

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Boise wins 1 of 4Ames 3 · ties 0
$4,877Take-home · Boise$5,301
$760Rent · Ames$1,383
$1,716Other bills · Ames$1,930
$2,401Left over · Ames$1,988

Next

−$413 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthAmesBoise
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Boise · this breakdownAmes · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Ames, IA and Boise, ID
Per monthAmesBoiseDifference
Gross pay$6,208$7,011+$802
Income and payroll tax$1,332$1,710+$378
Take-home pay$4,877$5,301+$424
Rent$760$1,383+$623
Getting around$457$524+$67
Groceries$347$388+$41
Healthcare$391$437+$46
Utilities$217$243+$26
Everything else$304$340+$36
Left over$2,401$1,988−$413

Salary to match Ames

$92,000

Gross pay in Boise that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.

Tax difference

−$1,683

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.4% in Ames, 24.4% in Boise.

More about Boise

Ames, IA in full

A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 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 → Ames →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Boise than Ames?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Boise leaves about $413 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames 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 Ames 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 Ames 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.