CITY COMPARISON
Denver vs Boise Cost of Living: Which Is Cheaper in 2026?
Data updated May 2026. Rent from Zillow ZORI, taxes from the Tax Foundation, cost-of-living index from BEA.
Denver to Boise is a Mountain West move that trades a big-city metro for a fast-growing smaller one. Cost of living shifts noticeably.
Colorado uses a flat income tax in the low single digits. Idaho's flat rate runs higher, in the mid-single digits. Boise rent is lower than Denver's, the cost of living is similar, and Idaho's sales tax is lighter.
Is Denver or Boise cheaper to live in?
At a $100,000 salary, moving from Denver to Boise frees up roughly $4,400 a year in disposable income. At $150,000 the gap narrows to about $3,900 a year in Boise's favor.
Mostly even on numbers. Denver wins on income tax, Boise wins on rent and sales tax. The decider is usually city size: Denver if you want a bigger metro, Boise if you want a smaller one with cheaper housing.
DISPOSABLE INCOME: MOVING DENVER → BOISE
AT A $100,000 SALARY
in Boise's favor
AT A $150,000 SALARY
in Boise's favor
Assumes the same gross salary in both cities (the remote-work case) and a single filer renting at the local median. Positive means Boise leaves more money after tax, housing, and everyday costs.
Full cost breakdown: Denver vs Boise
Here is where every dollar goes in each city, at two salary levels. Taxes, housing, and everyday costs are all in.
AT A $100,000 SALARY
| Line item | Denver | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$15,000 | -$15,000 |
| State income tax (4.4%) Boise: (5.3%) | -$4,400 | -$5,300 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$7,650 | -$7,650 |
| Housing (median rent) ($1,470/mo) Boise: ($1,380/mo) | -$17,640 | -$16,560 |
| Other living costs (COL index 128) Boise: (COL index 104) | -$34,200 | -$30,600 |
| Sales tax on spending (7.8%) Boise: (6%) | -$1,867 | -$1,285 |
| Disposable income / year | $19,243 | $23,605 |
AT A $150,000 SALARY
| Line item | Denver | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$27,000 | -$27,000 |
| State income tax (4.4%) Boise: (5.3%) | -$6,600 | -$7,950 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$11,475 | -$11,475 |
| Housing (median rent) ($1,470/mo) Boise: ($1,380/mo) | -$17,640 | -$16,560 |
| Other living costs (COL index 128) Boise: (COL index 104) | -$34,200 | -$30,600 |
| Sales tax on spending (7.8%) Boise: (6%) | -$1,867 | -$1,285 |
| Disposable income / year | $51,218 | $55,130 |
Denver vs Boise: taxes, rent, and schools at a glance
| Metric | Denver | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 4.4% | 5.3% |
| Median 1-bedroom rent | $1,470/mo | $1,380/mo |
| Combined sales tax | 7.8% | 6% |
| Cost-of-living index (US avg = 100) | 128 | 104 |
| School composite rating (1-10) | 7/10 | 7/10 |
Who should pick Denver?
Pick Denver if you want a major metro with mountain access and a deeper, more varied job market. The income tax is lower than Idaho's by a meaningful margin.
Who should pick Boise?
Choose Boise if cheaper rent and a smaller-city feel matter more than a few percentage points of income tax. The growth there is real, but the metro is far smaller than Denver.
How we calculated this
Disposable income is gross salary minus federal income tax, state income tax, FICA, housing, everyday non-housing costs, and sales tax on discretionary spending. Federal tax uses 2026 effective rates after the standard deduction for a single filer. State income tax is a single-bracket approximation for mid-six-figure earners. Housing is the median 1-bedroom rent. Non-housing costs scale with the BEA cost-of-living index. Sales tax is applied to roughly 70 percent of discretionary spending, since groceries and many services are reduced-rate or exempt in most states.
The numbers on this page assume the same gross salary in both cities. That is the remote-work scenario, and it is the cleanest way to isolate the cost-of-living difference. If a new job would rebase your salary by city, plug both real offers into the tool below.
Run your own Denver vs Boise numbers
The interactive Move-To-City tool lets you set different salaries for each city, enter your actual rent, switch filing status, and see the full FIRE-timeline impact of the move.
Open the Move-To-City tool →KEEP READING
Educational only, not financial advice. Cost-of-living estimates are modeled approximations from public data and will not match any individual budget exactly. Verify rent, tax, and salary figures for your own situation before making a move.