Cost of Living in Idaho

(Last Updated – 12/2021)

People can’t seem to get enough of those Idaho potatoes. Why do we say that? In recent years Idaho has been the fourth-most popular state to move to, according to U.S. News & Report.

In 2018 alone, almost 18,000 new residents moved to Idaho from California, followed by thousands more newcomers from Arizona, Colorado, and Montana.

The moderate Idaho cost of living is likely contributing to the migration, so let’s take a closer look at what it costs to build a life in the Gem State.

What’s the Average Cost of Living in Idaho?

Average Cost of Living in Idaho: $35,459 per year

If you move to Idaho, you won’t be looking at a particularly expensive or particularly affordable lifestyle. According to MERIC data gathered in the third quarter of 2021, Idaho has the 25th-lowest cost of living in the United States, putting it in the middle of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

For a lower cost of living, you might want to head directly east to Wyoming, which has the 18th lowest cost of living.

While these rankings give a general idea of how expensive a state is to live in, you may still wonder: What is the average cost of living in Idaho?

You can expect to spend about $35,459 a year on total personal consumption, according to 2020 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis . This is how that lump sum breaks down.

Category	Average Annual Per-Capita Cost in Idaho
Housing and Utilities	$6,910
Health Care	$6,169
Food and Beverages (non-restaurant)	$3,243
Gas and Energy Goods	$941
All Other Personal Expenditures	$18,197

That’s $2,955 in average monthly expenses for each Idahoan.

Housing Costs in Idaho

Average Housing Costs in Idaho: $625 to $1,309 per month

Housing is likely your biggest ongoing expense, no matter what state you live in. The typical Idaho home value was about $446,000 in late 2021, compared with a typical value of $313,000 nationwide, according to Zillow.

Whether you own or rent, as well as how large your rental is, can affect how much you’ll spend monthly. Here’s what that spending might look like, per 2019 census data:

•  Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,270

•  Median studio rent: $625

•  Median one-bedroom rent: $681

•  Median two-bedroom rent: $843

•  Median three-bedroom rent: $1,081

•  Median four-bedroom rent: $1,309

•  Median gross rent: $880

The specific area of Idaho you live in can also affect how much you’ll spend. These are the typical home values for some of Idaho’s major cities, according to Zillow, in late 2021.

Idaho City	Typical Home Price
Burley	$248,269
Mountain Home	$267,367
Pocatello	$282,189
Lewiston	$286,546
Blackfoot	$298,103
Idaho Falls	$333,897
Twin Falls	$336,052
Rexburg	$358,399
Moscow	$404,810
Sandpoint	$487,505
Boise(Boise Housing Market Trends)	$502,580
Coeur d’Alene	$551,591
Hailey	$624,434

Utility Costs in Idaho

Average Utility Costs in Idaho: $279 per month

Another ongoing expense you need to budget for is utilities. This is what that spending may look like in an average month in Idaho.

Utility	Average Idaho Bill
Electricity	$95
Gas	$53
Cable & Internet	$93
Water	$38

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, 2021; Inspirecleanenergy.com; DoxoInsights, U.S. Cable & Internet Market Size and Household Spending Report 2021; and Rentcafe.com, What Is the Average Water Bill?

Groceries & Food

Average Grocery & Food Costs in Idaho: $270 per person, per month

How much should you anticipate spending on food in Idaho?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Idaho’s average annual (non-restaurant) food cost is $3,243 per person, so that’s about $270 a month.

The Council for Community and Economic Research ranks the food costs in major American cities. The only Idaho city researchers examined was Boise. This is Boise’s grocery costs ranking for the second quarter of 2021.

Idaho City	Grocery Items Index
Boise	94.6

Transportation

Average Transportation Costs in Idaho: $4,900 to $13,317 per year

How much you’ll spend getting around each year is affected by where you live and what you or your family’s transportation needs are.

Here’s a glimpse at what it may cost to get from place to place in Idaho, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator .

Family Makeup	Average Annual Transportation Cost
One adult, no children	$4,900
Two working adults, no children	$8,987
Two working adults, two children	$13,317

Health Care

Average Health Care Costs in Idaho: $6,169 per person, per year

Health care is a major expense in every state in the country. In Idaho, the average annual cost of health care is $6,169 per person, according to the 2020 Bureau of Economic Analysis Personal Consumption Expenditures by State report.

How much you would actually spend depends on location, medical needs, and coverage.

Child Care

Average Child Care Costs in Idaho: $865 to $1,002 or more per child, per month

Funding child care is a challenge for many parents, which isn’t surprising when you can spend around $1,000 a month on child care in states like Idaho.

Residents who need help financing child care in Idaho can look into the Idaho Child Care Program , which pays part of child care costs for eligible working families.

This is what the average child care costs are in Idaho, according to 2021 data from costofchildcare.org .

Type of Child Care	Average Cost Per Month, Per Child
Infant Classroom	$1,002
Toddler Classroom	$865
Home-based Family Child Care	$892

Taxes

Highest Marginal Tax Rate in Idaho: 6.925%

Idaho assesses a state income tax in graduated brackets that are dictated by income level.

According to the Tax Foundation’s State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2021 , residents pay a state income tax rate ranging from 1.125% to 6.925%.

If the highest marginal tax rate of 6.925% seems high, just know that California has a top rate of 13.3%.

Miscellaneous Costs

Now that we know what it costs to live in Idaho, let’s dive into what it costs to have some fun in this state.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis says personal expenditures for the average Idahoan are $18,197 per year. Here’s where some of that spending may be going (costs are accurate as of Nov. 24, 2021).

•  A family visit to Yellowstone National Park as part of the park stretches into Idaho: $35 a day for a group entering in a single private vehicle.

•  An adventurous boat tour of the Snake River: $112 for children and $190 for adults.

•  A trip to Zoo Boise to get up close with the animals: $0 to $8, depending on age.

How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Idaho?

What it means to live “comfortably” in Idaho will depend on your lifestyle, income, family size, and more. That said, you can get a general idea of how accessible living comfortably is in each state.

Idaho ranks 30th on U.S. News & World Report’s Affordability Rankings , which measure the average cost of living in each state against the average amount of money most households have there.

MERIC viewed the affordability in Idaho more favorably, ranking the state as having the 25th lowest cost of living in the United States.

What City Has the Lowest Cost of Living in Idaho?

The Council for Community and Economic Research pinpointed Boise as the major Idaho city considered most affordable.

Boise

The housing market here has been red-hot, but Boise’s cost-of-living index of 102.7 could be considered tame for a big city. For comparison’s sake, the cost-of-living index in the Los Angeles metro area is 148.9. Boise, the capital, is a beautiful and outdoorsy city with almost a quarter-million residents, and downtown abounds with coffee shops, craft breweries, and trendy eateries.